


A Regeneration and An Invasion

by StrikeMoonstone9387



Series: The Mad Man and The Welsh Star [2]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Doctor Who Christmas Special, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-01 12:33:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 33,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14520654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrikeMoonstone9387/pseuds/StrikeMoonstone9387
Summary: The Doctor just regenerated after removing the Time Vortex from Seren. Unfortunately, something goes wrong with the process rendering it less smooth as previous times. As he continues regenerating while unconscious, the Earth is faced with a threat of invasion.Will Seren be able to stall the Sycorax long enough until the Doctor awakens? Will the Doctor wake up or still die despite his attempt to save his own life by regenerating?





	1. Born Again

** Born Again **

The Doctor turned to the console and flicked a few switches, checking the monitor at the same time.

“6 PM…” He said as Seren watched him, closing her mouth though her eyes were still wide in shock at the change – not only physical but the apparent personality changes that were already evident. “Tuesday…” he turned a knob on the side. “October… 5006… On the way to Barcelona!”

He straightened up, stepping away from the console and faced Seren, with a pleased grin stretched across his face.

“Now then…” he said. “What do I look like?” Seren opened her mouth to reply but he held up a hand to stop her from saying anything. “No, no no, no no no no no no no. No. Don't tell me.” She slowly went from shock to bemused as she watched him examine his new body. “Let's see... two legs, two arms, two hands...” he tested his wrist, circling it lightly as he pressed the thumb of his other hand against his inner wrist. “Slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle.” His eyes widened slightly, and his hands flew to his head, examining his hair. “Hair! I’m not bald!” He began running his hands through his hair gleefully. “Oh, Oh! Big hair!” As he ran his fingers through his hair, giving him a completely tousled look in the process, he found his side burns, exclaiming in delight, “Sideburns, I've got sideburns! Or really bad skin.” He ran his hands down his side as he examined his build and bringing them to his front, looking down as he slapped his flat stomach lightly before running them over his lower back, “Little bit thinner - that’s weird. Give me time, I’ll get used to it.” He slowly looked up, his eyes wide as he looked as though he had discovered something wonderful. “I… have got… a mole. I can feel it. Between my shoulder blades, there's a mole.” He rotated his shoulders thoughtfully, nodding, “That’s all right. Love the mole.” He grinned at Seren. “Go on then, tell me.” He straightened up in front of her, ready for her assessment, his hair still completely tousled from his earlier examination. “What do you think?”

“Doctor?” Seren asked, her eyes still wide as she took a hesitant step towards him.

“Yes, Seren Rhosyn, it’s me.” He replied, still grinning at her.

“Please prove it.” She said softly, her shock fading as her fear took over – fear that something went wrong during the regeneration process and it wasn’t the Doctor, fear that he was actually one of his enemies and the real Doctor was in danger.

He looked slightly crest-fallen at her request.

“I saw you, _him_ , change, but I need to know that it’s you. That you’re the Doctor.” She pleaded with him, tears filling her eyes. “I’ve seen enough since I began traveling with him to know that there are plenty of people out there that would love to kill him and get their hands on Idris.” A tear made its way down her cheek. “Please, prove to me that you’re the Doctor.”

“Very first word I ever said to you.” He began gently, walking towards the beautiful barefooted woman. “Trapped in that cellar. Surrounded by shop window dummies.... oh... such a long time ago.” he looked away for a moment, reminiscing as Seren remembered the moment as well. He looked back at her as he continued, “I took your hand...” to emphasize his point, he took her tiny hand – the gold shimmer still visible along her veins and arteries - in his own, just as he had done when he first explained who he was the day after he blew up her job. Seren looked down at their joined hands for a brief moment before looking back up at him. “I said one word... just one word, I said... ‘Run’.”

“It _is_ you.” Seren said in relief, letting go of his hand and hugging him tightly in relief before pulling back, her hands on his forearms. “Doctor.”

“Hello.” He said softly, grinning at her once again.

“Oh, _Duw_.” She sighed exasperatedly as he let her go.

“And we never stopped, did we?" He asked as he took off around the other side of the console. She leaned back against the console and watched as he flicked a switch. “All across the universe. Running, running, running...”

“Can we go home?” Seren asked quietly after several minutes of watching him dash around the console.

He stopped suddenly and turned to look at her. He was still by the console but closer to her.

“Do you want to leave?” he asked, just as quietly. “Stop travelling with me? It’s your choice, if you want to go home.”

“No. I don’t want to stop travelling with you.” Seren replied, shaking her head. “But Siwan, Aunt Jackie, the others, they don’t know that we survived. They might be thinking that we’re dead, and we need to at least tell them that we’re okay.”

“Okay.” He said, nodding and turning to the console. “Cancel Barcelona. Change to…the Powell Estate... ah... let's say the 24th of December.” He looked at her. “Consider it a Christmas present.” Seren nodded, a small smile on her face as she stepped towards the console. He pressed the final button. “There.”

He stepped back, tucking his arms under his armpits almost defensively. He believed that she would want to stay on Earth after they landed, and he couldn’t deny her that – he knew how difficult it could be for his Companions to accept the regenerations.

“Thank you.” She said softly, walking towards him and taking note of the almost defensive posture. “It won’t be for long.”

“It’s up to you if you want to stay there.” He told her gently. “With your god-mother, your family, all of them… it’s all waiting. Fish and chips, sausage and mash, beans on toast... no, Christmas! Turkey! Although...” he added as an afterthought, “having met your god-mother... nut loaf would be more appropriate.”

Seren giggled at the comment and he loosened his defensive posture slightly, his arms lowering. Suddenly, he gaged as the TARDIS shuddered in response.

“Doctor?” Seren asked, looking at him in alarm and grabbing on to the console as the TARDIS shuddered again.

The Doctor gagged again, though much more violently. He grabbed hold of the console as he made horrifying retching noises.

“Uh-oh.” He said as he stumbled back from the console.

“Doctor, what’s wrong? What happened?” Seren asked frantically.

As he let out a breath, a piece of the golden Time Vortex energy curled out of his mouth and faded away.

“That’s Vortex energy.” Seren said, pointing to the place the energy faded away before turning to the Doctor. “Why are you exhaling Vortex energy?”

“The change is going a bit wrong and all.” The Doctor replied quite calmly before he gagged again and fell to his knees.

Seren ran to him, crouching in front of him and holding him up by the forearms as his face contorted in pain.

“Maybe we should go back to the Game Station.” Seren suggested frantically, not knowing what to do to help him. “Let’s go and find Jack, he should know what to do.”

“Gah! He’s busy!” The Doctor replied impatiently, his entire body contorting against her as she helped him stand. “He's got plenty to do rebuilding the Earth!" Suddenly, a lever on the console caught his eye and he looked at it. “I haven’t used this one in _years_.” He said as he flicked.

Immediately, the TARDIS shuddered violently, slamming them both against the console.

“What are you doing?!” Seren asked in alarm.

“Putting on a bit of speed!” The Doctor replied crazily, reaching over and pressing another button. “That’s it!” He began turning more knobs and flicking more switches as Seren held onto the console as they hurtled through the Vortex. “My beautiful ship! Come on, faster! That's a girl! Faster!” Seren looked at him in alarm as he began to sound violently crazed. “Wanna to break the time limit?!”

“No! Not now!” Seren screamed in panic as they hurtled even faster through the Vortex. She clung to the console as tightly as she could.

“Ah, don't be so dull... let's have a bit of fun!” He exclaimed, slightly nastily and completely crazed. “Let's rip through that vortex!” He pumped his fist in the air when he caught sight of her terrified expression. “The regeneration’s gone wrong. I can’t stop myself.” He told her in a moment of calm lucidity before grimacing in pain. “Ah, my head...” He lowered his head against the console before violently springing up into a standing position again, his voice once again violently crazed as he exclaimed, “Faster! Let's open those engines!”

A bell began ringing rapidly and she looked up in fear, the Doctor ducking around the console.

“Doctor, why’s the Cloister Bell ringing?” Seren asked in fear – the Cloister Bell only rang when giving a warning of imminent danger.

“We’re gonna crash land!” The Doctor exclaimed, sounding delighted as he appeared next to her.

As she stared at him dumbfounded for a moment, he laughed delightedly as he dashed around the console.

“So then _do_ something so we _don’t_ crash land!” Seren yelled exasperated.

“Too late!” He exclaimed, raising his voice in excited hysteria. “Out of control!” He ran around the console, giggling madly. “Oh, I love it! Hot dawg!” He hopped in the air excitedly before going back to the console.

“You’re going to get us killed!” Seren yelled.

“Hold on tight, here we go!” He said, meeting her eyes across the console – he was grinning madly, and she looked completely scared. “Christmas Eve…!”

They held tight as they hurtled through the Vortex.


	2. Christmas Invasion

** Christmas Invasion **

When the engines stopped whirring, indicating that they had finally landed, Seren pulled herself up from the ground using the nearest coral pillar – she had been tossed back when they had their violent landing. The Doctor on the other hand, jumped up and ran to the doors, flinging them open and peering out.

“Here we are then, London! Earth! The Solar System! We did it!” He called back to Seren who nodded faintly in response, though he didn’t see it as he stumbled outside.

Seren slowly stumbled to the doors as she heard the Doctor talking to whoever was outside and reached the door just as she heard a ‘thump’. She pulled the door open and looked out to see the Doctor laying on the ground with Mickey holding him up slightly as Adam crouched beside the prone man and checked his pulse. She saw Jackie, Rose, Rhiannon, Johnny and Siwan looking on in confusion, David standing in front of his mother while Mica was settled on Siwan’s hip as she sucked her thumb.

Mica was wearing a light grey and white long-sleeved sweater dress, grey wool leggings* and white faux fur boots. Her golden hair was covered by a white and grey hat. David was wearing a dark grey sweater and blue jeans with black running shoes. 

“What happened?” Seren asked frantically, the barefooted woman quickly stepping out of the box and looking at the small group in front of her. She didn’t take any notice of the cold cement beneath her bare feet. “Is he alright?”

“I don't know, he just keeled over.” Mickey replied, looking up at the tiny woman from where he was on the ground. He frowned when he noticed the differences in her. “What happened to your glasses? And what’s with the shimmer all over your body?”

He didn’t bother asking about why she was barefoot since there were times where she  _did_  run around without her shoes, regardless of the weather.

“He’s all right, just unconscious.” Adam said reassuringly, letting go of the Doctor’s hand and looking up at the worried woman.

He was wearing his work clothes, consisting of a light grey two-piece suit with a white shirt and a dark purple tie, his hair in his professional comb-back.

“But who is he? Where's the Doctor?” Johnny asked as they relaxed slightly after hearing Adam’s reassurance.

“Right in front of you, that’s the Doctor.” Seren replied, nodding at the prone man.

“What do you mean, ‘that's the Doctor’?” Jackie asked in confusion, looking at Seren. “Doctor who?”

She looked back at the prone man as the rest gave similar sounds of confusion.

“And what happened to your glasses and what’s with the shimmer?” Rose asked in confusion, looking at her god-sister and repeating Mickey’s question.

“What do you mean ‘my glasses’?” Seren asked Rose in confusion. “I’m wearing them, aren’t I?” Her hands flew to her face as she felt the distinct lack of the rectangle frames. “Or maybe I’m not.” She muttered to herself and turned to the group in front of her. “Must be a side-effect from absorbing the Vortex. And I think it’s the same with the shimmer along my veins and arteries. I don’t know for certain, I didn’t get the chance to ask before he regenerated, and things became pretty crazy soon after that.”

“Right now, let’s get him back to the flats.” Siwan said practically. “The Doctor or not, he’s unconscious and leaving him out here isn’t a good idea.” She looked at Seren, “And it’s the middle of December and you’re barefoot, wearing a lehenga as well as shimmering like a bottle of glitter was dumped all over you.”

She was wearing her work clothes, a pair of grey wide-legged trousers, a long-sleeved white button-down blouse, a purple wrap-around fleece cardigan-like coat with 5” high-heeled purple suede pumps, a purple scarf wrapped around her neck, small purple diamond studs in her ears and a grey purse hanging off her arm*. Her long hair was pulled into her usual French twist, though a few strands had come loose over the course of the day and were gently framing her face over her glasses.

“Good point.” Rose muttered, trying to wrap her head around the handsome man being the crazy man her god-sister was in love with.

“Maybe we should take him to a hospital.” Jackie suggested.

“We can’t Aunt Jackie.” Seren replied as Johnny, having a larger build than the other two men, lifted the unconscious Time Lord into a fireman’s carry.

The group quickly made their way back to the Tyler’s flat, Mickey putting his arm around Seren when she stumbled, shooting her a worried look.

“It’s been a long day.” She said quietly, seeing his worried look and he nodded in understanding.

Reaching the flat, Johnny gently laid the prone man on Seren’s bed before Jackie and Rhiannon sent everyone out of the purple themed room, so they could change the man into a pair of comfortable pyjamas. Mickey, hugging Seren tightly for a moment, reluctantly informed them that he had to return to work and they promised to keep him informed before he left the flat.

“Come on Seren, you should change as well.” Siwan said softly to the worried woman as they waited outside the room. Seren looked at her, as if just realizing she was there. “Come on, you’ll feel better once you’ve showered and changed.”

Johnny took Mica from Siwan’s arms and ushered David back to the living room, saying that they had to finish decorating the tree – using it as an excuse to get the kids out from underfoot while the other adults were preoccupied.

“Yeah.” Seren agreed absently, watching Johnny’s retreating back, Mica toddling slowly in front of him as David ran ahead, bumping into the coffee tables when he couldn’t slow down fast enough. “I want to check on him first, I need to know that he’s going to be okay.”

“All right.” Siwan replied, knowing that arguing wouldn’t help the stressed woman at all. In the background, they heard Johnny gently admonishing his son for running while they were indoors. “I’ll put some of my clothes in the bathroom for you as well as products.”

“We had to use yours when they came close to their expiry dates.” Rose added sheepishly when Seren shot them a confused look. “We didn’t know when you were coming back so we didn’t get more.”

Seren nodded in understanding as Rhiannon and Jackie came out of the room.

“Okay, you can go in.” Rhiannon told them. “But not too many at once.”

Seren nodded and went inside, sitting at the edge of the bed as she watched the man she loved sleep, tucked in under her pale lavender covers. As she watched him breathe, something occurred to her.

“Adam,” she called softly, turning slightly to look at the medical doctor standing in the doorway of her room. “Can you get me your stethoscope?”

“Sure.” Adam replied with a slight frown, wondering what the woman was up to. He turned and walked away, returning a few minutes later with his stethoscope in hand. “Here you go.” He said as he handed it to her.

She took it with a grateful nod as he moved back, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, watching what she was doing with curiosity. She put the ear pieces in her ears as Jackie came in.

“I still think we should take him to a hospital.” Jackie said as she sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

Seren took the stethoscope out of her ears and looked at her god-mother seriously. Adam straightened up from his casual-appearing stance and looked at the blonde with the same seriousness, opening his mouth to respond.

“We can’t Aunt Jackie. They would lock him up and dissect him.” Seren told her firmly before the Immortal jack-of-all-trades could say anything. “A single vial of his blood could change everything. And not in a good way.”

Jackie opened her mouth to say something, a worried look on her face when Seren ‘shushed’ her and put the stethoscope back in her ears. She took the end and rubbed it against her palm, warming the cool metal slightly before gently resting it on the left side of the unconscious man’s chest. Hearing a steady rhythm, she moved to the right side and listened, hearing the same steady rhythm. Seeing the Welshwoman move the stethoscope to the right side of the chest, Adam frowned in confusion.

“Good, both working.” Seren said relieved.

At Seren’s words, Adam nodded to himself in understanding, it made sense that the Time Lord could have a binary vascular system - he wasn’t human after all.

“What d’you mean ‘both’?” Jackie asked, apparently not coming to the same conclusion.

“He has two hearts.” Seren replied, shrugging.

“Oh, don’t be stupid.” Jackie said contemptuously.

“He does.” Seren replied, handing the stethoscope back to Adam and standing up from the bed, moving to the door.

“Anything else he’s got two of?” Jackie asked curiously, looking at the Time Lord as Adam bit back a snort.

“Leave him alone.” Seren bit out through clenched teeth, turning in the doorway and glaring at the older woman.

Jackie nodded, raising her hands in surrender and Seren turned, walking down the hall. Jackie glanced at the Doctor one more time before quietly walking out as well, Adam following her.

Seren made her way into the kitchen, realizing she hadn’t eaten in hours, not since before she had been forcibly returned to Earth in the TARDIS. She opened the fridge and looked at what was inside, taking out the lasagna leftovers and putting the plate in the microwave.

“How can he go changing his face?” Jackie asked, coming into the kitchen behind Seren and grabbing a bottle of water. "Is that a different face or is he a different person?"

“Both, Aunt Jackie!” Seren snapped in frustration before pausing and looking at the older woman. She took a breath, calming herself down. “I’m sorry.” She said sincerely, feeling guilty at snapping at the older woman who was just trying to understand. Jackie nodded in acceptance as Seren sighed, smiling despondently. “I forget sometimes that he’s not human, so it’s a bit of a shock.” Jackie nodded in understanding, it was somewhat easy to forget that the crazy man wasn’t human – at least until he did something that reminded them of the fact. Seren reached out and took Jackie’s hand, squeezing the smooth yet work-calloused hand gently. “Bigger question though, where’d you get a pair of men’s pyjamas from?” She asked with a curious smile on her beautiful features, brushing her hair back with her free hand. “Because Adam doesn’t wear pyjamas sets and Johnny’s are much bigger.”

“Howard’s been staying over!” Rose called from the living room where she was sitting on the couch and watching a newscast on the telly, David playing with Mica on the floor in front of her.

“Howard from the market? How long?” Seren asked, glancing between the living room where she could see the back of Rose’s head and Jackie in surprise.

“A month or so.” Jackie replied. “First of all, he starts delivering to the door, and I thought, 'that's a bit odd'. Next thing you know, it's a bag of oranges.”

Seren smiled as Jackie told her about how Howard became her new beau.

“Seren!” Rose yelled from the living room when Jackie was telling her about the first date.

“I’m so happy for you, Aunt Jackie.” Seren told her with a smile, hugging the older woman tightly before pulling back when Rose yelled for her again. “I’d better go and see what she wants.” She told her god-mother with a sigh. “You’ll tell me the rest later?”

Jackie smiled and nodded as Seren turned and walked out of the kitchen, raising her eyebrow at the blonde in silent question. Johnny and Rose pointed to the TV in unison, not saying anything. With an exasperated expression on her face, Seren turned to the TV, only for the exasperation to turn to shock when she saw who was on the screen.

“What’s Harriet Jones doing on the telly?” She asked in shock, her jaw dropping at the sight of the deceptively strong woman she had met only once.

“She’s the new Prime Minister.” Siwan replied, coming into the living room with Adam behind her.

Adam sat on an arm chair and Siwan sat in his lap, angled towards the TV. Seren smiled incredulously as she watched the newscast, sitting on the arm of Rose’s single sofa. Jackie joined them in the living room, stopping in the doorway of the kitchen and leaning against the frame.

“I’m 18 quid a week better off.” Jackie commented as Rhiannon came into the living room as well.

Rhiannon had been in the Jones’ kitchen working on the Christmas dinner – just after Seren and Siwan moved in and they had finished renovating the flat into a dual, it was decided that the Tyler’s kitchen would be used for regular meals and cooking while the Jones’ kitchen would be used for keeping extra food and making meals for special occasions, like Christmas dinner.

“They’re calling it ‘Britain’s Golden Age’.” The eldest Jones sister said, sitting on the sofa next to Johnny and letting Mica climb onto her lap.

“I keep on saying ‘my twins have met her’.” Jackie added, causing Seren to laugh and shake her head in amusement.

“They did more than that.” Johnny said with a chuckle. “They stopped World War Three with her.”

“Exactly.” Adam said, nodding in agreement.

The twins rolled their large jewelled eyes, Siwan lightly punching her boyfriend in the shoulder as they turned to the newscast.

_“Prime Minister, what about those calling the Guinevere One Space Probe a waste of money?”_  A man asked Harriett, who was standing behind a podium as she gave the press conference.

_“Now, that's where you're wrong. I completely disagree if you don't mind.”_ Harriett replied, the polite way she disagreed causing the twins to bite back their snorts of amusement – the woman was always incredibly polite and diplomatic, even when disagreeing with someone.  _“The Guinevere One Space Probe represents this country's limitless ambition. British workmanship sailing up there among the stars.”_

_“This is the spirit of Christmas, birth and rejoicing, and the dawn of a new age, and that is what we're achieving 15 million miles away. Our very own miracle.”_ The Chief Scientist on the project, Mr. Llewellyn, said as he spoke about the project, a bright smile on his face.

_“The unmanned probe, Guinevere One, is about to make its final descent.”_ The newscaster said in a voice over as an animated rendition of the launch was played for the watching world.  _“Photographs of the Martian Landscape should be received by midnight tonight.”_

Seren let out a breath and ran a hand through her hair, grimacing when she felt the grunge in the normally soft and luscious locks.

“Okay, I’m going to go shower.” She announced, the grimace still on her face. “Just soak in the hot water for a bit.”

She walked out of the living room and headed towards the bathroom, Siwan kissing Adam’s cheek before getting up and following her sister.

“Hey, I put the clothes in the bathroom for you already.” Siwan said as she caught up to her sister.

“Thanks, Siwan.” Seren said softly, with a grateful smile.

“You’re welcome.” Siwan said with a smile. “And, I’ve got something else for you to use after you’ve soaped and shampooed, when you’re soaking.”

“What?” Seren asked, a questioning expression on her face as entered Siwan’s blue-themed room. Despite Siwan having moved out, her and Adam still spent time at the Estate, not wanting to risk Jackie’s wrath for falling out of touch. To that end, Siwan still had her room at the dual flat, her and Jackie keeping it maintained, just as they did Seren’s room while she was gone in the TARDIS.

Siwan smiled and rummaged through her closet, emerging with a small shop bag.

“Bath bombs.” The sapphire-eyed woman said with a gleeful squeal. “This one’s with lavender. It’ll help you relax.”

“Thank you.” Seren said with a genuine smile, tears filling her eyes as the events of the past several hours caught up with her.

Siwan pulled Seren into a hug as the amethyst-eyed girl lost the battle with her tears and they streamed down her cheeks unchecked. Siwan sat them down on the bed and gently ran her hands over Seren’s back as she sobbed, letting out the feelings that had been building since the Doctor regenerated and they found out that something had gone wrong. Her fear that he would die, despite regenerating into a new incarnation; her fear that the he wouldn’t be the person she loved, she knew that with regenerating, there would be aspects of his personality that would change, but there was also the possibility that the essence of who the Doctor was would change as well and that terrified her.

Slowly, Seren stopped crying, her tears drying though the track remained on her cheeks, and she pulled away from Siwan.

“Feel better?” Siwan asked softly, her tone gentle and without judgement.

“Actually yes, I do.” Seren replied with a bemused grin.

Siwan laughed as they stood up from the bed and she handed the amethyst-eyed woman the bag containing the bath bombs. Seren took the bag, thanking her sister once again and left the room, heading to the bathroom where she could take a hot shower before she could take her much needed bath with the bath bombs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two hours later, Seren emerged from the bathroom looking much more alive than before, though her worry for the Doctor still clear on her face, dressed in a light sky blue long-sleeved fitted sweater blouse, grey wide-legged trousers over 6” high heeled grey ankle boots, with a pair of white pearl earrings* in her ears. Her long hair was pulled into a high pony held by a light sky-blue ribbon, the luscious locks curling naturally from the bottom half down as they dried.

She checked in on the Doctor only to find him still unconscious with Adam checking him over – mostly just to make sure that the Time Lord was alive. After speaking with Adam for a few minutes about the Doctor’s unchanged condition, she left her room and went into the living room where the rest were sitting and talking as they tried to keep the mood light, Siwan on the floor playing with David in front of the TV.

“You look much better.” Johnny said sincerely, looking at her as she walked in.

“Thank you.” She said to him with a smile. “I feel better.” She sat down on the floor beside David, letting the 6 ½ year old climb into her lap and put his arms around her. “There’s no change in him.” She said quietly, resting her chin on the boy’s head. “What if-”

“Hey, you can’t think like that. No ‘what if’s’.” Rhiannon said firmly, leaning forward slightly so that she could look down at her younger sister from where she was sitting on the sofa next to her husband. “You have to believe that he’ll be okay.”

“It’s so hard, Rhi. It’s so bloody hard.” Seren said, not moving from her position as tears filled her eyes.

“I know,  _Cariad_. I know.” Rhiannon said softly, her firm gaze softening.

“But what’s happening to him?” Rose asked, a confused frown on her face as she and Mickey walked in to the living room, having heard what was said. She had gotten up to let him into the flat since he didn’t have a key. “Why did he change?”

“He changed because he was dying.” Seren replied quietly, explaining not only what the Doctor had told her, but what she had read while she was on the TARDIS. “Every cell in his body was dying, and to save his life he had to change. Regenerate. It’s something Time Lords can do, a way of cheating death. When they are fatally injured, they can regenerate, but only a certain number of times.”

“Why was he dying?” Jackie asked curiously as Rose and Mickey sat down on separate sofas – Mickey beside Rhiannon and Rose beside her mother.

With the brief explanation as to what was happening to the crazy man given to them, the shock and confusion gave way to genuine curiosity.

Seren looked away guiltily.

“Because he thought he was saving my life.” Seren said, so quietly that they had to strain their ears to hear. “He absorbed the Vortex out from me because he thought it would burn my mind.” She looked up at them, a tear falling from her eyes and running down her cheek. “I was fine. Having the Vortex running through me felt like the most natural thing in the Universe, but he was afraid it would kill me, so he took it. But it triggered his regeneration, and then something went wrong and now he’s lying in bed, possibly dying again and there’s nothing I can do. Again!” By the time she finished, she was ranting angrily and gasping for breath, David in her lap the only reason she wasn’t on her feet.

She buried her face in David’s hair and breathed in his scent as she tried to calm herself down, the little boy turning around in her lap so that he could wrap his arms around her. Mica climbed down from her mother’s lap and joined the two, wriggling her way in between her brother and Aunt.

Above her head, the rest exchanged looks. They all had one thought running through their minds – they needed to get Seren out of the flat for a while, or she might just lose what was left of the sanity she was hanging on to by a rapidly fraying thread.

“Seren, why don’t we take David and Mica out for a while?” Mickey asked, getting encouraging nods from the others. “Go window shopping while keeping the kids out of Rhi’s hair while she works on tomorrow’s dinner?”

Seren looked up at him, seeing the only slight enthusiasm on his face.

“You also want me to get out of the flat for a while.” She said softly, knowingly.

“Yes.” They all replied in unison, looking at each other for a moment when they realized what had happened.

“Sure, why not. I’m losing my mind just worrying.” Seren said with a sigh, letting go of the kids so that she could stand up. “So, who else is planning on coming?”

“I am.” Siwan replied, standing up from where she had been sitting on the ground in front of Jackie.

“I’m staying since I need to cook.” Rhiannon said. “Adam is here to keep an eye on the Doctor.”

“I’m gonna try and get some sleep.” Johnny said, covering a yawn with his hand. “Mica’s been keeping us up all night and I don’t have Rhi’s talent for still functioning on two hours of sleep each night.”

Rhiannon rolled her eyes at the comment and turned to Rose and Jackie.

“I’ll stay here, see if I can do anything to help Adam or Rhi.” Jackie said, with Rose saying the same.

There were nods all around and the twins went to grab their jackets and purses while Rhiannon and Johnny got Mica and David bundled up, Mickey getting Mica’s carrier sling and multi-purpose diaper bag from Siwan’s room where their suitcase was.

“Wait! What about the shimmer?” Rose asked as Seren came back to the living room, zipping up her waist-length grey coat, her light sky-blue handbag hanging from her shoulder.

“Oh, I forgot all about that.” Seren breathed, her eyes wide as her hands froze on her jacket. She looked at her hands as she brought them in front of her face.

“Me, too.” Adam admitted, having followed Siwan from Seren’s room where the sapphire-eyed Welshwoman had informed him of their plan.

“Same.”

“Me, too.”

Similar sounds of agreement were echoed through the flat as Seren stared at them in surprise.

“How could you guys forget?” Seren asked, baffled as she looked at them. “You’re the ones seeing it every time you see me!”

“Well, you kinda get used to it after a while.” Rose said sheepishly.

“And besides, you sort of look the way you did when you were little, and you kids used to make your holiday cards.” Jackie said, shrugging. “Glitter all over yourselves as well as the cards.”

“That’s it!” Siwan exclaimed, snapping her fingers.

“What’s it?” Seren asked in confusion, looking at her.

“That’s what we say happened.” Siwan replied. The rest of them could practically  _see_ the gears tuning inside her head as she explained her idea. “While we’re out, you wear gloves – no one’s going to find that strange in this weather. Since you can’t do anything to cover your face, except wear a pound of make-up-”

“Not happening.” Seren cut in firmly. Her skin was so sensitive that, on the rare occasions she wore makeup, she couldn’t wear too much without it making her sick. And the make-up itself had to be completely organic.

“Thought so.” Siwan said, glancing at her before carrying on, “We just say you had an incident involving kids, glue and glitter. And it wouldn’t be a lie if we phrase it that way, being purposefully vague, we can let them draw their own conclusions.”

“How would it not be a lie?” Mickey asked.

While none of them had any problem lying to protect Seren when it came to her travels with the Doctor, they tried to remain as close to the truth as possible as well as being purposefully vague and cryptic so that they could keep their stories straight. And if one of them were to mess up, it wouldn’t be too difficult for the others to smooth it over.

“Aunt Jackie said it.” Seren said as she realized where her sister was going. “We used to have incidents involving glue, glitter and kids all the time.”

“You just don’t mention the fact that the incident you’re referencing happened 15 -20 years ago.” Adam finished, a smirk crossing his face as he looked at Siwan with a positively heated expression. “That is incredibly sexy.” He purred, putting his arms around her and pulling her against his body.

“I know.” Siwan replied cheekily, giving him an equally cheeky smile.

“If you want to stay…” Seren said, trailing off and not wanting to even think about finishing the sentence.

“No. I’m going with you.” Siwan replied firmly as she and Adam pulled themselves out of their passion-filled bubble. “I haven’t seen you in months and the last time I  _did_  see you, you were on your way back to the Doctor to try and save his life with no idea whether or not you’d survive.”

“Fair point.” Seren muttered, not having any way to argue.

She pulled on her light grey gloves and pulled her jacket sleeves over them, attaching Mica’s carrier sling to her front and holding it in place as Rhiannon placed the slightly squirming toddler in, facing forward so that she could see what was happening around her.

Adam and Siwan kissed each other, barely managing to restrain their passion while Mickey slung Mica’s diaper bag across his chest. Once Siwan and Adam had parted, the three of them left with the kids, taking a cab to the nearest outdoor holiday market, Seren not wanting to be too far from the flat in case there was any change in the Doctor’s condition.

They got out of the cab and walked through the crowded streets, David holding tightly to Siwan and Mickey’s hands as he walked between the two with Seren on Mickey’s other side, Mica in the carrier on her chest.

“Do you want to do actual shopping or just window?” Mickey asked Seren as they passed a few shops.

“Window. Especially since I have no idea what to get.” Seren replied honestly, shaking her head. “I’m completely out of sync. The last time I was here, it had been October, and then a few hours later, I’m back. Except this time, it’s Christmas Eve.” She sighed and looked up at the dark night sky. “I had forgotten about Christmas.” She said softly, turning back to her sister and her best-friend. “I forgot about a lot of things, Birthdays, Christmas’; it’s almost as though they don’t exist in the TARDIS.” She smiled wistfully as she said, “You feel timeless until you step out of that magnificent blue box.”

“That sounds incredible.” Siwan said with a smile, her and Mickey swinging David between them and causing the little boy to laugh delightedly.

“Yeah, that’s fascinating. ‘Cos I love hearing stories about the TARDIS.” Mickey sassed, rolling his eyes. “Oh, go on Seren, tell us another one ‘cos I swear, I could listen to it all day. TARDIS this, TARDIS that.”

“Oh, shut it.” Seren said with a smile, rolling her own eyes as she nudged the taller man gently.

“Oh, and one time the TARDIS landed in a big yellow garden, full of balloons.” Mickey said in a high-pitched voice as he continued sassing her.

“I do not sound like that!” Seren exclaimed laughing, feeling light and worry-free for the first time in hours.

“Yeah, you do.” Mickey and Siwan replied in unison, looking at her.

Seren mock glared at them as Mica babbled delightedly, clapping her hands.

“I’m surprised you haven’t given up on me, Mickey. I must drive you mad.” Seren told him, a slight smile on her face.

They walked passed the brass band dressed in Santa robes, David waving at them happily. When they didn’t wave back, David pouted for a moment before his attention got diverted by the lit-up life-sized angel.

“No more than usual.” Mickey replied with a grin, putting his arm around her as they watched David tug Siwan towards the lit-up angel to touch the blue-white lights. “That’s the thing though. You  _can_  rely on me.  _I_ don’t go changing my face.”

“Mickey, he didn’t have a choice.” Seren said quietly, turning to look at him as she became solemn again. Mica turned her head so that she could still see the blue-white lights that had captivated her brother. “It’s not his fault. He did the only thing he could to survive. And yet, he could still be dying.”

Mickey dropped his arm from around her shoulders and took her hands instead, turning to face her.

“I know. But right now, just for a little bit, can we let it be Christmas?” Mickey asked her gently, bending slightly so that he could look in her eyes. “You, me, Siwan, Mica and David. Us and Christmas, like we used to. No Doctor, no bog-monsters, no life or death.”

Mica, sensing that her Aunt wasn’t happy, turned her head and looked up at her, babbling as she reached up with her tiny hand and touched Seren’s cheek. Seren looked sown at her niece, the little girl that had no idea what was happening except that her Aunt was sad.

“I can.” Seren said nodding and looking up at Mickey with determination on her face. “Us and Christmas.”

Siwan walked up to them, carrying David on her hip.

“What did I miss?” She asked, seeing the determined expression on Seren’s face, the gentle understating expression on Mickey’s face and Mica holding her tiny hand up to Seren’s cheek while looking up at her sweetly.

Mica turned at the sound of Siwan’s voice and clapped delightedly, babbling her explanation.

Siwan nodded along as the toddler babbled, the group resuming their walk through the crowded streets. Mickey took David from her and held the boy on his own hip, his taller frame giving him the height needed to carry the schoolboy without being nearly dwarfed. As he held David, Mickey handed the diaper bag to Siwan, who slung it across her chest, her purse on her other shoulder.

“Subtitles?” Siwan asked Mickey and Seren as she turned to them, a completely bewildered expression on her face, once Mica’s attention had been diverted a few minutes later.

Mickey and Seren laughed as David looked at the three adults in confusion.

“Auntie Seren, Uncle Mickey, why you laughing?” David asked, cocking his head to the side adorably.

“Because your Auntie Siwan was being funny.” Mickey replied, tweaking the boy’s nose.

David looked at them as if they had lost their minds and wriggled in Mickey’s hold.

“We’re going to let it be Christmas.” Seren told her sister and briefly explained the request while Mickey put David on the ground and took the boy’s hand.

Siwan nodded in acceptance.

“So, what’re you gonna get for Jackie?” Mickey asked, as they resumed walking around the market and looked at the different displays. “I'm 'round there all the time now, you know. It’s like, now Siwan isn’t playing mediator between us…” Seren nodded along and glanced behind her, slightly distracted as she listened to Mickey talk about how things had changed between him and the Tyler’s, for the better. Seren shook her head slightly and turned back to Mickey, listening as he talked. “She does my dinner on a Sunday… talks about you all afternoon, yap yap yap.”

Examining a display, Seren caught sight of the brass band out of the corner of her eye and turned to look. The masked Santa’s were playing ‘Good Tidings of Comfort and Joy’ as they slowly followed Seren, Mickey, Siwan and the kids. Seeing Seren look at them, they stopped walking as they continued playing.

Seren gazed at them, a slight frown on her face. She had a bad feeling about the masked Santa’s and it was making her uneasy. Seren was about to turn back to Mickey and Siwan when the band stopped playing and lowered their instruments, one firing a flame out of his trombone.

The flame incited a panic as Mickey instinctively grabbed David and ducked behind the stall they were viewing, the twins beside him as Seren curled her arms protectively around Mica. The toddler started crying in fear, her tears setting David off. Within seconds, while the crowd of shoppers panicked and ran in every direction, the twins and Mickey had two crying children, screaming in fear as they crouched behind the stall.

“It’s us!” Seren exclaimed, looking over the destroyed stall as Mickey and Siwan tried, unsuccessfully, to calm the kids. “They’re after us!”

“Then let’s get the hell out of here!” Siwan exclaimed, taking Seren and Mickey’s hands as they began running behind the stalls as they made their way to the road.

As they ran, they ducked behind the stalls to avoid the flames being thrown. Unfortunately, each time they ducked behind a stall, the Santa’s destroyed it seconds later, prompting the group to run to the next.

David had a tight monkey-grip on Mickey, the man having one arm curled around the boy to keep him place while he held Siwan’s hand with the other, Seren had one arm curled around Mica’s head to protect her from the shower of destructed stalls and sparks while holding Siwan’s free hand with her other, creating a chain between the three of them.

One of the Santa’s, this one carrying a tuba, fired a blast at a large tree as they ran past it. The angle of the blast caused the tree to fall on it, destroying it as its mask clattered to the ground.

“Creepy.” Siwan muttered, catching sight of the mask as they ran down the street.

“What’s going on?” Mickey asked frantically, barely keeping his panic at bay for the sake of the terrified child clinging to him. “Why are they after us?”

“I don’t think they’re after  _us_!” Siwan replied, yelling to be heard over the screams of the panicked shoppers and the blasts that echoed behind them.

“Taxi!” Seren yelled as the cab pulled up to them. “Siwan’s right.” She said as they got in, Mickey settling David on his lap.

“Powell Estate, please.” Siwan told the cabbie. “Step on it!”

“Aye, miss.” The cabbie replied, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of the Santa’s still destroying the market with the flame-throwers. Mica and David had stopped crying, but they were clinging to Mickey and Seren tightly, terrified.

“Siwan, mobile please.” Seren told her sister as the cabbie began driving, just shy of breaking the speed limit.

“I can’t even go shopping with you!” Mickey muttered in exasperation as Siwan handed Seren her mobile. Seren dialled a number as Mickey looked at her in confusion. “Who’re you phoning?”

“Aunt Jackie.” Seren replied, putting the mobile to her ear. With her other hand, she soothingly rubbed Mica’s head, the baby still in her carrier. Mickey rubbed David’s back while Siwan sat across from the, the diaper bag across her chest.

“And why not use your mobile?” Mickey asked as the line kept ringing, indicating the phone was in use.

“Get off the phone, Aunt Jackie!” Seren exclaimed exasperatedly, cancelling the call and giving the mobile back to Siwan. “My battery’s dead.” Seren replied to Mickey’s question, shooting a meaningful look at the back of the cabbie’s head.

“Oh, yeah.” Mickey said nodding, getting the hint. “Who were those… Santa things?”

“No idea.” Seren replied as Siwan dialled a number in her mobile and put it to her ear. “But they’re not after us, not exactly. They’re after the Doctor. We’re just a means of getting to him.”

Siwan groaned and put her mobile down.

“Adam, Rhi, Johnny and Rose aren’t answering either.” Siwan told them. “Adam probably because he’s with the Doctor and doesn’t have his mobile on him, Rhi because she’s probably cooking and can’t get to her mobile and Johnny said he was going to try and get some sleep while we were out. And the line kept ringing when I called Rose.”

“Great.” Mickey muttered. “A flat full of people, and we can’t get a hold of any of them. Just great.”

“Auntie, David scared.” David whimpered quietly, looking up at Seren and Mickey with his large haze eyes, filled with tears.

“I know  _baban_ , I know.” Seren said softly, putting her hand on his head.

“We won’t let anything happen to you, David.” Siwan said softly, leaning forward so that the little boy could see her without having to move his head from Mickey’s chest. “Not to you, or to your sister.”

“What about you?” David asked, raising his head from Mickey’s chest and looking at the three of them. “You and Mam, Tad, Grandmam Jackie, Aunt Rose, Uncle Adam, Uncle Doctor and everyone? Are you gonna get hurt?”

Seren, Siwan and Mickey exchanged looks, not sure how to respond to the deep yet heart-filled question.

“We’re gonna do everything possible to make sure we don’t get hurt.” Mickey said softly, looking down at the little boy. “We’re going to protect you, and we’re going to protect each other.”

“That’s right  _baban_.” Seren said with a smile. “We work together to protect each other.”

“Promise?” David asked tearfully.

“Promise.” Siwan replied, Mickey and Seren nodding in agreement.

David nodded and tucked his head back into Mickey’s chest, his tiny hand playing with the string of the man’s coat hood.

A few minutes later, they pulled up to the Estate flats and climbed out, Mickey pausing to pay the fare, before running to the building and up the stairs. They burst into the flat as Jackie walked out of the kitchen, the phone to her ear.

“So save us a chipolata.” The blonde was saying into the phone.

“Aunt Jackie, get off the phone!” Seren yelled, running up to the woman.

“It’s only Bev! She says hello.” Jackie said as Seren grabbed the phone from her.

The sudden commotion drew Adam, Rhiannon and Rose to them.

“Bev?” Seren said, putting the phone to her ear. “Aunt Jackie will call you back.” Without waiting from a response from the older woman, Seren hung up the phone and looked at Jackie, Adam, Rhiannon and Rose.

“What’s going on?” Rhiannon asked, wiping her hands on her apron.

“We have to get out of here.” Seren said urgently, putting the phone on the table and out of Mica’s reach. The baby was still in her carrier strapped to Seren’s chest. “It’s not safe anymore. Rhi, wake Johnny up, tell him we have to go.” Rhiannon nodded and went to Siwan’s room where the large Welshman had fallen asleep. Seren turned to the rest of them, “Any ideas where we can go?”

“My mate Stan, he'll put us up." Mickey suggested, reaching up to loosen David’s choke hold on him slightly.

“That’s only two streets away.” Rose added helpfully.

“No, too close.” Seren said, shaking her head. She turned to Jackie, “What about Mo? Where is she living now?”

“I dunno! Peak District!” Jackie replied, a frown on her face.

“What about our place?” Adam suggested, gesturing to himself and Siwan. “There’s plenty of room.”

He had changed out of his work clothes and was now wearing his usual comfortable style – an oversized blue-grey sweatshirt, a pair of jeans and trainers, his hair out of its comb-back and falling gently over his forehead and into his eyes, curling behind his ears.

“Hampstead is closer than Peak District.” Seren replied shaking her head, glancing at him and he nodded in understanding. “Mo’s it is, then.”

“Adam, you and Mickey get the Doctor ready to move.” Siwan told the two men, who nodded and turned to leave.

“Wait a minute! It’s Christmas Eve!” Jackie snapped irritated, putting her hands on her hips as she glared at them. “We’re not going anywhere! What’re you babbling about?”

“Aunt Jackie…” Seren started, turning to look at the blonde only to trail off when she caught sight of the green tree in the corner. They didn’t have a green tree, they had a white one. “Where did you get that tree?” She asked, shakily pointing at it. Jackie, Siwan and Mickey looked at it, comprehension dawning on the latter two’s faces.

“That’s a new tree.” Siwan said shakily as Rhiannon came back to the front of the flat, Johnny trailing behind her and yawning. “Where’d you get it?”

“Well, I thought it was you!” Jackie replied confused, turning to look at them.

“How could it have been us?” Seren asked.

“What’s going on?” Rhiannon asked Adam quietly, taking David from Mickey and holding him tightly in her arms.

He filled the two in quietly, his eyes not moving from the Tyler/ Jones as he also waited for a reply. He had been on the Jones side of the flat with the Doctor, so he hadn’t seen the new tree until Seren pointed it out.

“Well, you guys went shopping, there was a ring at the door, and there it was.” Rose said.

“That wasn’t us.” Seren said, looking at them with slight fear, tightening her arms around Mica.

“Then who was it…?” Jackie asked fearfully.

They looked at the tree as it began lighting up by itself, different sections at a time. Seren pulled Jackie towards them as Adam stood protectively in front of Siwan. Johnny, his tiredness disappearing entirely when he saw the potential danger to his family, stood in front of Rhiannon, who had David in her arms. Mickey stood protectively in front of Seren, who had her arms around Mica, as Jackie and Rose had their arms around each other.

“You have got to be joking.” Seren muttered as the tree began playing ‘Jingle Bells’ when the tree had been completely lit up.

The different sections of the tree began rotating in opposing directions, slowly at first before picking up speed, creating a strong wind that blew through the living room. Mica, David, Jackie and Rose began screaming as the tree floated up and began moving towards them.

The tree floated through the living room coffee table, reducing it to firewood within seconds.

“Get to my room!” Seren yelled. “We have to go!”

Mickey and Johnny grabbed the chairs that were nearby and held them out in front of their bodies defensively, moving to stand on front of the group.

“Go! We’ll hold it off!” Johnny yelled as the tree began tearing through the chairs.

The group ran towards the Jones side of the flat, Johnny and Mickey blocking the tree’s way, and ran into Seren’s room.

“Johnny! Mickey!” Rhiannon yelled, putting David on his feet and standing in the doorway of the purple themed room and looking towards the living room. “Leave it!”

Adam and Siwan ran to the Doctor and removed the covers from him, carefully pulling him up into a seating position. David ran to the corner and huddled against the wall, as far away from the door as possible as Seren ran to him and took Mica out of her carrier, handing the toddler over to the boy before removing the carrier completely and tossing it to the side. David crouched on the floor, his arms curled protectively around his sister, who was crying in fear.

“Get out! Get out!” Jackie yelled, standing by Rhiannon and yelling to the two men.

The two threw the chairs at the tree and ran out of the living room, running straight into Seren’s room.

“Get in here!” Mickey yelled to Rhiannon and Jackie as the tree began making its way through the flat, heading straight for them.

Jackie looked at the advancing tree and screamed, running into the room behind Rhiannon, slamming the door closed.

“Doctor, wake up!” Rose yelled to the unconscious man being supported by Siwan and Adam.

Johnny and Mickey pulled an empty wardrobe across the door, providing them with a barricade. Johnny and Mickey stood in front of the wardrobe, leaning their backs to it. The wardrobe began rattling as the tree tried to force its way through and into the room.

Jackie whimpered in fear as she and Rose joined Johnny and Mickey in keeping the wardrobe against the door. Seren ran to the Doctor’s jacket and grabbed his screwdriver from his pocket while Adam and Siwan laid the unconscious Time Lord back down on the bed and ran to the wardrobe, helping the others keep it in place.

Seren ran back to the Doctor and put the screwdriver in his hand. She looked to the door as the tree smashed through the barricade, sending them all flying back.

Johnny and Rhiannon scrambled to the two screaming kids, crouching down and curling around them protectively.

“I’m going to get killed by a Christmas tree!” Jackie cried in a high-pitched voice, her and Rose having their arms curled around each other protectively.

The tree flew into the room, spinning dangerously as it came closer to them. Adam curled his body around Siwan, both pressed back against the wall next to Rose and Jackie.

Seren scrambled to the bed and leaned up to the Doctor’s ear, whispering, “I need you, please.”

He sat up suddenly, his brown eyes flying open as he aimed the screwdriver at the spinning tree. The screwdriver buzzed, and the tree exploded, sending a shower of sparks through the room.

Rose and Jackie screamed as they everyone ducked the sparks, Johnny and Rhiannon covering the children while Adam curled around Siwan.

Breathing heavily, they straightened up after the sparks stopped flying everywhere. Rhiannon and Johnny lifted Mica and David into their arms, the children still crying in fear. The Doctor lowered his screwdriver as he looked at the spot where the tree was destroyed.

“What was that?” Adam asked, looking at the now conscious Time Lord.

“Remote control.” He replied. “But who’s controlling it?”

He got out from the bed and grabbed the dressing gown that Seren held out to him and led the small group out of the flat. Securing the dressing gown, he came to a stop at the balcony just outside the flat and looked down at the ground below.

Three Santa’s gazed up at them, one holding a remote controller.

“That’s them.” Mickey said, glancing at the Doctor who looked down calmly. “What are they?”

Rose, standing behind Mickey, shushed him as she watched the Doctor. The Time Lord calmly raised his sonic screwdriver, aiming it at the Santa’s. Seren’s eyes widened slightly as she saw the move, knowing the previous incarnation would’ve tried to talk to the Santa’s first – she wondered if this was another personality change between the two incarnations. The Santa’s backed away a few steps, moving closer together, and the group on the balcony watched as the trio were beamed away.

“They've just gone!” Mickey exclaimed, scoffing slightly and looking around at the ground where the Santa’s had disappeared. “What kind of rubbish were they? I mean, no offence,” he glanced at the Doctor before turning back to look below the balcony. “But they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver's going to scare them off.”

“Pilot Fish.” The Doctor said, answering Mickey’s question.

“What?” Rose asked as all of them turned to him.

“They were just Pilot Fish.” The Doctor repeated.

Siwan frowned thoughtfully and opened her mouth to speak when the Doctor retched and fell backwards. Adam and Siwan reached out and caught him before he could hit the wall, the Time Lord gasping in pain.

“What’s wrong?!” Seren asked worriedly, kneeling in front of him with Mickey and Jackie.

Rose made to move toward the pained man as well but was held back by Rhiannon and Johnny, both with the kids in their arms.

“Don’t crowd him.” Rhiannon said softly at the blonde’s questioning look.

Rose nodded reluctantly and turned back to the Doctor.

“You woke me up too soon.” He panted heavily, being held up by Siwan and Adam. “I’m still regenerating. I’m bursting with energy.” He panted before exhaling another stream of golden Vortex energy that faded away. “You see? The Pilot Fish could smell it a million miles away. So, they eliminate the defence -”

“That’s us.” Siwan stated rhetorically.

“And they carry me off.” The Doctor finished, nodding at Siwan’s statement. “They could run their batteries of me for a couple of ye-ow!”

He lurched forward towards Seren, groaning in pain.

“Oh! Oh!” Jackie called as Seren caught the Doctor instinctively.

Seren, unable to support his weight on her arms, leaned him back against the balcony, sliding down along the railing to the floor with one of her legs bent behind him and squatting on the other.

“My head!” He groaned through clenched teeth, his eyes screwed tightly shut. Seren held him tightly to keep him from lurching again and possibly injuring himself further. Adam knelt on his other side as the Time Lord continued, “I’m having a neural implosion. I need-”

"What do you need?" Jackie asked frantically, kneeling in front of him.

“I need-”

“Say it. Tell me, tell me-” Jackie said frantically as Adam rolled his eyes.

Adam had his hands on the Doctor’s shoulders, helping Seren keep him in place, not able to do much else. He turned to the pained man as he tried to tell the group what he needed.

“I need-”

“Painkillers?” Jackie asked.

“I need-”

“Do you need aspirin?”

Adam and Seren looked at the Doctor worriedly as his breathing got heavier.

“I -”

"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I dunno — Pepto-Bismol?" Jackie asked, listing several painkillers.

“I need-”

“Liquid paraffin.” Jackie added before changing tracks, her voice getting steadily higher as she panicked. “Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E?”

“I need-”

“Calm down, Jackie.” Adam said soothingly, looking at the frantic blonde beside him.

“Is it food?” Jackie asked the Doctor, still frantic. She hadn’t registered Adam’s words, and began listing the kinds of food she cold make the gasping Time Lord. “Something simple. Bowl of soup. A nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Soup and a little ham sandwich?”

“I need you to shut up.” He ground out through gritted teeth, gasping in pain.

Seren couldn’t hold back her snort of laughter and hid her face in the Doctor’s upper arm.

“Oh, he hasn't changed that much, has he?” Jackie commented, calming down instantly and half-glaring at the Doctor while Adam and Johnny bit back their laughs at the blonde’s expression.

“Apparently not.” Seren muttered quietly, lifting her face and smiling at Jackie.

The Doctor suddenly lurched forward again, this time Seren and Adam unable to hold him in place. Adam and Jackie ducked to the side as the Time Lord lurched toward the opposite wall, Seren being pulled as well since she still had her arms around his upper torso.

Seren’s back hit the window sill and she grunted in pain as the ledge dug into her spine. Seren looked up at him, a blush darkening her rosy cheeks as she noticed how close their faces were. Adam and Mickey reached out to the Time Lord, turning him around to face them as he panted in pain with his screwed tightly shut.

“We haven’t got much time.” The Doctor panted, opening his eyes and putting his hands in the dressing gown pockets. Seren shifted slightly so that her back wasn’t pressed against the window sill, her arms still around the Time Lord’s torso as he bent forward slightly. “If there’s Pilot Fish, then -” he panted then frowned, pulling a green apple out of his pocket and holding it up. “Why’s there an apple in my dressing gown?” He asked, completely side-tracked as he looked at it then at Seren.

Seren shrugged, a matching expression of confusion on her face. Similar expressions of confusion were on the other’s faces.

“Oh, that's Howard. Sorry.” Jackie said sheepishly.

“He keeps apples in his dressing gown?” Seren asked, looking at the blonde.

“He gets hungry.” Jackie replied, shrugging slightly.

The Doctor looked at the apple in confusion before looking at Jackie.

“What, he gets hungry in his sleep?” He asked with a confused frown.

“Sometimes.” Jackie replied, nodding sheepishly.

“Argh!” The Doctor screamed, dropping the apple and sinking himself and Seren to the ground. Seren groaned as his weight fell on her once again, this time unable to shift and leaving them both at a very awkward angle with his head against her chest and their legs entangled. “Brain – collapsing -” he gasped, grabbing Seren’s upper arms and gripping them tightly. "P- the Pilot Fish.” He turned his head to look at her, gasping as he tried to speak. “The Pilot Fish mean . . . that something - something -" He gasped and took a deep breath, looking deep into her eyes as he warned, “Something is coming.”

Before anyone could say anything he groaned and passed out, his head falling onto Seren’s chest. She wrapped her arms around him to keep him from slipping.

“Doctor?” She asked softly, patting his cheek lightly.

There was no response and Adam reached out and took the Time Lord’s wrist, checking his pulse.

“He’s unconscious once more.” The doctor told them as they watched with baited breath.

They gave sighs of relief that turned to alarm when the Time Lord began panting in his unconscious state and sweating slightly. Seren looked towards Mickey and Adam.

“Get him back to bed please.” She said, and they nodded, moving on either side of the two.

“On three.” Adam said once they were crouched down with their hands behind the Doctor’s back and Mickey nodded. “One, two and three.”

The two of them pulled the unconscious man up and Mickey helped Adam lift him into a fireman’s carry. Once the Doctor was properly held on Adam’s shoulders, Siwan helped Seren up and the group made their way back into the flat.

Inside, Rhiannon and Johnny took the kids into Siwan’s room to put them to sleep – the chaos of the past little while wearing them out entirely – while Adam and Seren took the Doctor to Seren’s room, gently putting him back into bed and covering him.

By the time they had all removed their winter gear and the Doctor was settled in bed, he had started sweating profusely and shivering, restless as though he were suffering an extreme strain of the flu. Seren climbed onto the bed and knelt next to his head, wiping his face with a cool compress while Adam sat on the other side and checked the Time Lord’s heartbeats.

Seren looked at him when he removed the stethoscope, a worried expression on her face.

“Only one.” He told her quietly.

Seren’s shoulders slumped at the news and she turned back to the Doctor, dipping the compress into a shallow bowl of cool water and wringing it before wiping the man’s face. Adam reached out and squeezed her arm gently, not saying anything as he stood up from the bed. Siwan came into the room with another blanket, slightly lighter-weight, and spread it over the first, trying to give more warmth to the shivering man without smothering him.

“Hey.” Mickey said softly, standing in the doorway with his laptop under his arm.

“Hey.” Seren replied, glancing at him briefly before turning back to the Doctor.

“Siwan, do you still have that paper you wrote?” Mickey asked quietly, turning to the sapphire-eyed Welshwoman. “The one about the marine biology and psychology?”

“Not the hard-copy, but I have the electronic version on my USB.” Siwan replied just as quietly, turning around to look at him, a frown on her face. “Why?”

“I wanted to do some research.” Mickey replied. “The Doctor said that the Pilot Fish mean that something’s coming. Before using the internet, I wanted to see of your paper could give me some answers.”

“Yeah, sure.” Siwan replied, nodding and kissing Adam’s cheek before walking out of the room.

She paused in the doorway and looked back at Seren sadly, as the amethyst-eyed woman didn’t turn away from the unconscious man. Seren hadn’t even realized that the conversation had occurred, only registering Mickey’s presence in the room with a glance at the man.

Siwan sighed and went into her own room, quietly going to her desk and grabbing her USB stick before sneaking back out. In the hallway, she breathed a sigh of relief that the kids and Johnny hadn’t woken up from the intrusion and handed the stick to Mickey.

“Thanks.” He said, taking the stick and holding it tightly.

“Just be careful.” Siwan said softly. “I have my final draft on it.”

Mickey nodded in understanding and kissed her cheek before turning and making his way to the living room. Siwan watched him go and leaned back against the wall. Adam left Seren’s room and made his way to her, standing beside her and pulling her into his arms.

“Are you going to tell Seren?” He asked her quietly.

“I don’t know.” Siwan replied softly, resting her head against her beloved’s strong chest and playing with the fibres of his sweatshirt.

“She deserves to know. Especially after everything she had done to support you.” Adam reminded her.

“I know that Adam.” Siwan hissed, suddenly irritated. “But how can I tell Seren right now? When she’s already so worried about the Doctor?”

“Tell me what?” Seren asked, coming out of her room and drawing the door closed until it was only slightly open. She looked between the couple, taking in the unsure expression on her sister’s face and the adamant expression on Adam’s face. “Siwan, tell me what?” Seren repeated, her voice becoming stern.

“I have the option of graduating early.” Siwan said after several moments of silence. Seren’s eyes widened in surprise, Siwan still had a year left. “I have to write, submit and defend my thesis. But if I were to be successful, then I would graduate with the 2007 Winter graduates with a Doctorate in Biology instead of the Master’s I had been working for.”

“Siwan, that’s amazing!” Seren exclaimed, looking at her sister earnestly. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because it’s not a done deal yet.” Siwan replied weakly, shrugging. Adam, seeing that the two sisters needed to talk between themselves, kissed Siwan’s head lightly and quietly walked away to give the two some privacy. “And with everything happening, the Doctor’s health, the Pilot Fish that are masquerading around as robed Santa’s, I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“I understand.” Seren said softly, pulling her sister into a tight hug before pulling away. “But promise me next time, when something happens, you don’t wait until I overhear you talking about it.”

“I promise.” Siwan replied with a small smile.

“And on a lighter note, congratulations!” Seren said with a slight squeal. The pride in her sister was evident on the amethyst-eyed woman’s face as she pulled Siwan into another tight hug.

They pulled apart and made their way to the living room, the happiness at Siwan’s news fading by the time they reached the main area of the flat.

“Jackie, I might have to use the phone line.” Mickey said quietly to Jackie as he plugged in his laptop and set it up on the table. “Is that all right?”

Rhiannon was asleep on the couch, sitting with her head resting against the back.

“Yeah. Keep a count of it if you do.” Jackie said in an equally quiet tone as she came out of the kitchen, handing him a mug as he sat down. He nodded in thanks and turned to his laptop. “It's midnight. Christmas day.” She commented, looking at the clock as she handed mugs to the twins. “Adam said he’s getting worse.”

“Yeah.” Seren said quietly, taking the mug from Jackie and inhaling the fragrant aroma of the peppermint tea. “Only one heart is beating.”

She sat down on the single sofa with Siwan next to her. Jackie sighed quietly and sat at on a table chair, unsure of how to help her god-daughter. Adam covered a yawn and sat on the floor by the sofa Rhiannon was sleeping on, blinking blearily at the TV as a newscast came on regarding the Guinevere One space probe.

“What’s going on with Guinevere?” Adam asked after another yawn escaped him.

“No idea.” Siwan replied, a frown on her face as she turned to the TV. Rose looked through the service hatch from the kitchen where she was washing the dishes from the last round of tea and snacks.

_“Scientists in charge of Britain's mission to Mars have re-established contact with the Guinevere One space probe_.” The newscaster was saying.  _“They're expecting the first transmission from the planet's surface in the next few minutes.”_

_“Yes, we are.”_ Mr. Llewellyn said as the camera turned to him.  _“We're-we're back on schedule. We've received the signal from Guinevere One. The Mars landing would seem to be an unqualified success.”_

_“But is it true that you completely lost contact earlier tonight?”_  A reporter asked.

_“Yes, we had a bit of a scare.”_   Mr. Llewellyn replied honestly.  _“Guinevere seemed to fall off the scope, but it-it was just a blip. Only-only disappeared for a few seconds. She is fine now, absolutely fine. We're getting the first pictures transmitted live any minute now. I'd better get back to it, thanks.”_

Llewellyn waved at the press and walked away from the podium, the camera’s following him for as long as possible before the feed returned to the newscaster.

“Here we go, Pilot Fish.” Mickey said, looking at his laptop and drawing their attention to him. The twins joined him at the table, standing on either side of him and leaning over his shoulder to look at the computer screen where he was playing a video of the fish. “Scavengers, like the Doctor said.”

“Hold on. I remember doing the research for Marine Behaviours paper, even if I didn’t end up using the Pilot Fish.” Siwan said with a frown as she tried to remember with her exhausted mind. “They’re harmless and tiny, but the little fish swim alongside the big fish.”

 “You mean, like sharks?” Rose asked, having turned her attention from the TV to Mickey and Siwan as they explained.

“Great big sharks.” Siwan replied.

“So, what the Doctor means is, we had them… now we get that.” Mickey added and pointed to the screen as the animated shark snapped its jaw viciously.

“Something is coming.” Seren said softly, repeated what the Doctor had told her just before he passed out. She looked at the TV when the screen went slightly static before turning back to Mickey and Siwan. “How close?”

“There’s no way of telling.” Mickey admitted as Rose came out of the kitchen and leaned against the doorway, facing the TV but still able to hear the conversation about the fish.

“But they don’t swim far from their big bad protectors.” Siwan added as a distorted image appeared on the TV screen.

Adam sat up with a frown, squinting slightly at the distorted image.

“So, pretty close, then.” Seren confirmed and received nods in response.

“Funny sort of rocks.” Jackie commented, looking at the screen and referring to the distorted image.

_“The first photographs…”_   The BBC1 newscaster announced.

“They don’t look like rocks.” Adam said with a frown, cocking his head to the side to try and see the image from a different angle.

_“This image is being transmitted via mission control_ ,”

“Adam’s right.” Seren said softly, turning to look at the screen. “Those aren’t rocks.”

She edged towards the screen slightly, squinting at the image.

_“Coming live from the depths of space on Christmas morning.”_   The newscaster finished his announcement just as the distorted image became clear.

Adam swore colourfully in Ancient Egyptian, the twins doing the same in Welsh. Jackie was too stunned to admonish them as she usually did. Mickey straightened up from where he was slouched slightly in front of his laptop and stared at the screen. Rose lost the grip she had on the towel she was holding and it fell to the floor by her feet.

On screen was an image of an alien. It was red-eyed with a head shaped like a goat’s skull.

Adam, the twins, Rose and Mickey edged towards the screen, looking at it closely. They jumped back, startled shrieks escaping their mouths, when the alien growled and roared viciously.

Rhiannon snapped awake at the sound – the startled shrieks and the roars from the screen - and looked around at them with bleary eyes.

“What happened?” She asked as the alien on screen continued to roar for several seconds before the image froze and the newscaster appeared once more on the screen. “What was that?” She pointed to the screen as the newscaster spoke about the feed being transmitted though BBC1.

As one, the group turned to Seren, who had the most experience with alien lifeforms, aside from the Doctor.

“I have no idea.” Seren breathed, sitting down on the floor and looking up at them. “The TARDIS might know, or she might have books that I could read. But she’s completely silent and without her help to narrow down which books to read, searching the Library will take weeks, if not months.”

“So, let’s get started.” Siwan said practically, moving to grab her purse.

“Let me rephrase that.” Seren said, looking at her sister. Mickey went back to the table and sat at his laptop, proceeding to type at a rapid pace. “It will take weeks, if not months to narrow down  _the general area_ where the books _might_  be located _._  Finding the books themselves will take much longer, then there’s the matter of translating them into English.”

“Which only you would be able to do because of the Translation Matrix.” Siwan said with a sigh, hanging her purse back on the hook. “Since you were the only one of us that had long enough on the TARDIS for the Matrix to fully integrate into your mind.”

Siwan sat down on the floor, while Adam laid flat on his back with his head in her lap. Seren let out a breath and put her now empty mug of tea back in the kitchen and went to check on the Doctor’s condition.

In her purple themed room, with the doorway missing chunks of wall on one side from the exploding Christmas tree, she watched the handsome Time Lord sleep, still shivering and sweating. She went inside and sat on the edge of the bed, running her fingers through his now thick brown hair as he almost unconsciously leaned in towards the touch. She picked up the compress from the night table, wet it and wrung it out before using it to wipe away the sweat from his face and neck, repeating the action.

Several minutes later, Jackie came to the room and stood in the doorway, watching her god-daughter as she sat on the edge of the bed and wiped the sick man’s face and neck. Seren was unaware of Jackie’s presence, so focused on the man laying in her bed and possibly at Death’s door.

After watching her god-daughter for a few minutes, Jackie went inside and put a gentle hand on her god-daughter’s shoulder. The sudden slight pressure startled the beautiful Welshwoman and she jumped slightly, dropping the cloth on the bed.

“Aunt Jackie.” Seren said softly, looking up at the older woman.

“Why don’t you let me sit with him for a while, sweetheart?” Jackie asked softly, seeing the exhaustion on the younger woman’s face. Seren looked at the Doctor for a moment before turning back to the blonde, opening her mouth to reply when Jackie said, “Go see what Mickey might have found out from the military database. You can be more help to Mickey than you can to the Doctor right now.”

Seren nodded reluctantly and turned to the Doctor, running her fingers through his damp hair once more before standing up and leaving the room. She stopped in the doorway and looked at the bed, seeing Jackie pull up a chair and sit down, facing the bed as she took the cloth and took over Seren’s task of trying to keep the man cool.

Seeing that he was being taken care of by the tender touch of her god-mother, Seren made her way back to the living room. She saw Mickey still typing away furiously, Siwan and Adam on the floor while Rhiannon was laying back on the sofa behind them with her eyes closed. Rose was sitting beside Mickey at the table, proof-reading Siwan’s thesis paper, needing something to do to keep herself occupied.

Seren sat down on the single sofa and put her head in her hands, completely exhausted and not sure what to do. The room’s occupants looked at her before looking at each other, equally unsure of how to help the normally energetic and optimistic woman.

Mickey turned back to his computer with a quiet sigh and looked at the screen, his eyes widening at what he saw.

“Seren, guys.” He called, the almost urgent tone in his voice snapping them all to attention as they turned to him. Seren and Rose moving to stand on either side of him while the others looked in his direction. "Take a look, I've got access to the military. They're tracking a spaceship. It's big, it's fast, and it's coming this way."

They looked at the radar screen, the telemetry being sent via the Hubble array to UNIT.

“Coming for what, though?” Rose asked, turning to Seren. “The Doctor?”

“It’s possible.” Seren replied honestly, not looking away form the screen. “It’s also possible that they could be coming for all of us.”

Rose looked back at the screen as they got a clear image of four aliens, one in front with the other three flanking the first. The aliens began speaking and Seren frowned, unable to understand.

“Have you seen them before?” Adam asked Seren as he, Siwan and Rhiannon joined them at the table, crowding around Mickey.

“No.” Seren replied absently, shaking her head with a frown.

“What is it?” Siwan asked, seeing the frown etched on her sister’s face.

“I can’t understand what they’re saying.” Seren replied, glancing around at them before turning back to the screen. “The Translation Matrix is constantly translating everything I hear, see or read into either English or Welsh, the two languages I am the most familiar with. But right now, there’s nothing. I have no idea what they’re saying.”

“Why not?” Mickey asked, looking at her in confusion. “If the Translation Matrix is 24/7, why isn’t it working now?”

“I don’t know.” Seren replied softly, looking lost and upset. “It might have something to do with the Doctor. With him being sick, the TARDIS can’t complete the circuit.”

Adam out a gentle hand on her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly before letting go. He moved away and sat on the sofa, raising the volume on the TV as an AMNN newscaster appeared on screen.

_“Despite claims of an alien hoax, it's been reported that NATO forces are on red alert.”_   The American female newscaster said.

Adam changed the channel to BBC1 News.

_“Speaking strictly off the record, government sources are calling this our longest night.”_   The British newscaster said in a near grave tone.

Seren, hearing the newscasts, bit her lip in despair and turned, walking out of the living room and heading back to her own room where Jackie and the Doctor were. Seeing her leave and the despaired expression on her face, Adam sighed in frustration and muted the TV, tossing the remote on the other sofa. Rose sighed and sat down in her previous chair, returning to proof-reading Siwan’s paper. She may not be able to help Seren, but she could at least help Siwan.

Siwan shook her head slightly and walked towards Adam, sitting down on his lap and putting her arms around him. He held her close, drawing comfort from her warmth and her natural fragrant scent. Siwan knew how difficult it was for him to see people suffer in pain, with him being unable to help them no matter how much he wanted to. This empathy would only ever increase whenever he took up the role of a caregiver or something similar; someone who was supposed to give aid and relief to others, not watch them as they suffered and be unable to help. It was much harder when he knew the person, had a relationship of some sort with them.

As Adam held her tightly, Siwan shifted slightly so that his head rested against her chest and she ran her fingers through his hair, silently comforting him and being his pillar of strength when he needed her to be.

Seren went to her room and stopped in the doorway, seeing Jackie asleep. She was slumped over, her arms folded on the bed with her head resting on a pillow. In a move so similar to Jackie’s a short time earlier, Seren stood in the doorway and watched the two of them sleep, the Doctor still shivering despite the blankets covering him.

Rhiannon went into Siwan’s room, needing to be with her husband and children. The eldest Jones sister sat at the edge of the bed and watched the three of them sleep, Johnny’s large frame spread out on the bed while Mica and David were practically curled up on his chest. Rhiannon reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from David’s face and ran a gentle hand over Mica’s cheek before turning to her husband. She started slightly when she saw him watching her. He gave her a reassuring smile, the same one he gave her when she found out about her parent’s murder and the twins resulting comas, when Siwan had told her about herself and Seren being Chosen Ones when Seren had disappeared with the Doctor for a year; the same smile that gave her the hope that they would pull through even when it seemed like there was no hope.

Mickey stood up from the table and quietly went to Seren’s room, stopping in the hallway when he saw the Welshwoman in the doorway and just looking in on the room’s occupants. He watched as Seren nibbled at the pads of her thumbs in a nervous manner, the veins in her hands and her face shimmering gold. He joined her in the doorway, stopping beside her and looking into the room.

“This is my fault.” Seren said softly after several seconds of silence. “His regeneration is my fault. If I hadn’t looked into the Heart of the TARDIS, if I hadn’t absorbed the Vortex, this wouldn’t have happened.” Her voice shook as she continued, “He wouldn’t have regenerated, it wouldn’t have gone wrong, and he would have been able to find a way to stop the aliens from doing whatever it is they’re planning to do.”

“You really love him, don’t you?” Mickey asked her softly.

Seren turned and looked at him with shock and realization swimming in the depths of her wide amethyst eyes.

_‘Do I love the Doctor?’_  She wondered.  _‘Do I still love him despite the regeneration?’_

She looked back at the bed where the Doctor was laying, unconscious.

“I do.” Seren said softly, with conviction, realization and determination. “I am in love with the Doctor. My mad man.”

Just as she had loved the previous incarnation, she knew that she could love this one as well. Mickey pulled her into a hug, holding her close as she finally realized her feelings for her mad man. They broke apart a short while later, Mickey yawning as his exhaustion crept up on him.

“We should try and get some sleep.” He said, unable to stop another yawn from escaping. “Adam and Siwan are already knocked out on the sofa, Rose is the same at the table and Rhi is in Siwan’s room with Johnny and the kids.”

Seren nodded and Mickey kissed her cheek before turning and walking towards the living room, intending to sleep on the long sofa. Seren watched him go before turning and going into her room, sitting opposite Jackie on the Doctor’s other side, grabbing a pillow and quickly falling asleep in a position mirroring the older woman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The remaining few hours of night passed fitfully for the adult occupants of the Tyler/ Jones flat and they pulled themselves out of their slumber as dawn broke over the London horizon.

On a typical Christmas day in the Tyler/ Jones flat with so many people, there would be a mad rush to get to the bathrooms and to get ready for the day, the children fanning the flames of the chaos by running around and making plenty of noise. David would be running away from his parent’s attempts to get him clean, encouraging his sister to do the same, Adam would sit at the sofa and laugh at Rhiannon and Johnny’s attempts to get their children organized enough so that they could open a few presents while Siwan would yell at him to get dressed. Seren would be in the kitchen with Jackie, frantically trying to make enough breakfast for everyone. All-in-all, it would be chaos, the kind one looks forward to every year, despite the migraine it would result in.

Christmas day of 2006 however, was not a typical Christmas day. There was no mad rush to get ready, there was no frantic yells and shouts echoing through the flat. David was quiet as his parents got him and his sister dressed, Mica also not putting up her usual amount of mischief.

Mica was in a white/ off-white sweater dress embroidered with a black floral pattern along the bottom quarter and the wrists, black woolen tights and black Mary Jane shoes*. Her soft golden hair was parted on the side and held with a black clip to keep the light ringlets in place. David was dressed in a white button-down shirt, an off-white sweater sleeveless sweater vest, black dress trousers and black ankle-high Doc Martin shoes.

While Johnny and Rhiannon were grateful for the lack of usual chaos, the reason  _why_  it was missing weighed heavily on them. There was a part of them, a big part of them, that wanted the chaos over the reason why their children were being subdued. The reason being the mad man still unconscious in the middle Jones sister’s bedroom.

Exchanging looks, they gathered to two children and led them out of Siwan’s blue-themed room and into the living room where Siwan was setting the table.

The sapphire-eyed Chosen One was wearing a fitted sapphire blue long-sleeved cowl-neck sweater blouse and a pair of white slim-fit trousers pulled over knee-high sapphire blue 5” high heeled boots*. In her ears, she wore a pair of small sapphire diamond studs and her hair was held back with a Dutch infinity braid headband, the rest of the dark brown locks tumbling down to her waist in loose ringlets*. As always, she had her glasses perched on her nose.

David wasted no time helping his Aunt with the task while Rhiannon put Mica on the floor with a few toys to keep her occupied. Johnny sat down next to her while Rhiannon went to the Jones’ Kitchen to finish the preparation for their Christmas dinner. Seren was in the Tyler’s kitchen, making breakfast for all of them with Rose helping her.

The amethyst-eyed Chosen One was wearing an amethyst purple square-necked blouse with ¾ sleeves that belled from her elbows, trimmed with black lace along the neckline and the elbow where the sleeves belled out, a white tank top underneath, white slim-fit jean trousers with an amethyst purple belt and silver buckle and a pair of 5” high heeled amethyst purple Mary Janes* on her feet. Her hair was tied the same way as her sisters, a Dutch infinity braid headband with the rest of the dark locks tumbling to her hips in loose ringlets. The visible part of her skin shimmered from the gold currents that ran along her veins.

Hearing their neighbour, Sandra, yelling outside, Seren passed Rose the skillet of eggs and went outside, joined by Mickey.

“Sandra?” The beautiful Welshwoman asked the older, short-haired brunette woman.

“He won’t listen.” Sandra said helplessly, whirling around to look at Seren and Mickey. The older woman was still in her dressing gown and nightie. “He's just walking. He won't stop walking!” She turned around and began following her husband as she continued speaking. “There's this sort of light thing. Jason?” Mickey and Seren cautiously left the flat, Mickey closing the door behind him. “Stop it right now! Please, Jason, just stop.”

The two of them cautiously moved forward as Siwan poked her head out of the window to see what was going on.

“Stay there.” Seren said firmly, seeing her sister in the window. “Stay inside with them until Mickey and I return.”

Siwan nodded as Mickey looked over the balcony.

“Seren, look.” He said, gesturing for to look as well.

She looked over the balcony and saw dozens of people walking through the Estate grounds, all with a strange blue light playing over their heads. Seren and Mickey glanced at each other and quickly followed Sandra, the woman still calling out to her husband without any reply.

Sandra’s hypnotized husband, Jason, and the other equally hypnotized residents of the Estate led them up to the roof, stopping at the very edge of the tall buildings.

"Jason, I'm taking to you! Just stop!" Sandra pleaded with him as she and other loved ones desperately tried to hold the hypnotized people away from the ledge, only for them to stand firm.

Seren looked at the other rooftops and saw a similar sight along every single one she could see. Hypnotized people standing on the edge while their loved ones desperately tried to hold them back without any success.

“What can we do?” Mickey asked Seren quietly as they stood looked at their friends.

“I don’t think we can do anything.” Seren replied, just as softly. “It’s as though they’re waiting for a command or a signal.”

“Seren! Mickey!” They heard Adam call from behind them.

Turning, they saw the man standing in the middle of the roof, away from the hypnotized people and the desperate loved ones. Seeing them look at him, he gestured them over and they complied.

“What is it?” Seren asked once they joined him.

“Duncan just called. He said that this is happening in Seacouver as well.” Adam said, a worried expression on his face. “And according to Joe, it’s happening across the world.”

“Any Immortals?” Mickey asked quietly, glancing around to make sure no one could hear them.

Mickey was the only one aside from the Jones/ Davies family that knew about the Game and the Immortals, having been told after Duncan had been Challenged by another Immortal during the Highlander’s visit to London in July with Amanda.

“Immortals?” Seren asked in confusion, looking between the two men.

Mickey winced as Adam shot him a glare.

“Sorry.” Mickey said apologetically, and Adam nodded in understanding.

“This is the secret you had told Siwan back in March? When I had first returned?” Seren asked in realization.

Adam nodded in reply, his eyes slightly wide at the complete nonchalant demeanor the woman was portraying before realizing that the man she loved had just changed his appearance entirely, and she had spent a year travelling through time and space. Finding out her sister’s boyfriend was immortal wasn’t very high on her list of things to freak out about.

“Anyway,” Adam said, shaking his head and returning to the topic at hand. “As far as we know, there are no Immortals on the roofs, but it could be possible. And according to the Watcher network, this is happening all over the world.”

“This is not good.” Seren said as she turned and looked at the people on the ledge. She turned back to Adam and Mickey. “Let’s get back inside. There’s nothing we can do up here.”

Her reluctance to even admit their helplessness was clear on her face, but she was right. Adam nodded just as reluctantly as the trio returned to the flat, entering just as Rose turned up the volume on the TV.

“There’s an Emergency Broadcast.” Rose told them as they turned to the TV.

_“Ladies and gentlemen, if I may take a moment during this terrible time.”_   Harriett began, sitting behind a desk with a photograph of Queen Elizabeth in the front corner and Union Flags draped on either side of her chair.  _“It's hardly the Queen's speech. I'm afraid that's been cancelled.”_   She turned to the side and asked an aide, _“Did we ask about the Royal Family?”_ She paused for a moment as the aide replied. “ _Oh.”_   She turned back to the camera, looking at her audience though she couldn’t see them.  _“They're on the roof.”_   Despite her clear worry for the Royal Family and for the Nation, Harriett continued, projecting an aura of strength.  _“But, ladies and gentlemen, this crisis is unique, and I'm afraid to say, it might get much worse. I would ask you all to remain calm. But I have one request. Doctor, if you're out there, we need you.”_   Inside the flat, they looked at one another and Seren tried to hold back her tears at the PM’s plea.  _“I don't know what to do. If you can hear me, Doctor. If anyone knows the Doctor, if anyone can find him,”_  Seren was unable to watch the broadcast and turned around, walking out of the room as she fought to keep her tears of sorrow and guilt at bay.  _“The situation has never been more desperate. Help us. Please, Doctor. Help us. God help us.”_

Seren slowly walked to her room and looked at the lifeless form of the man she loved, losing the battle against her tears as they streamed down her face. She leaned against the doorframe as she gasped for breath, the guilt and sorrow crushing her. She went to the bed and laid down next to the Doctor, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest.

“Doctor, please wake up.” She pleaded, sobbing into his chest, her tears seeping into his borrowed pyjama shirt. “I need you, please.” She sat up and looked at him, her tears streaming down her face. “Please! You promised forever, remember? Doctor, please!” Her pleading voice had risen to a wail. “Please, wake up! If you can hear me, please wake up!”

She dropped her head back on his chest as she sobbed. Rhiannon ran into the room, having heard the younger woman’s wailing pleas. Rhiannon pulled her sister into her arms, rubbing her back soothingly as the distraught woman sobbed.

“It’s all right,  _Cariad_.” Rhiannon whispered gently. She kissed the younger woman’s head, whispering, “I’m sorry.”

Without warning, the windows shattered, showering them with glass. Seren and Rhiannon screamed slightly as the older woman hunched over to protect herself from the glass, Seren slipping from her arms and throwing herself over the Doctor to protect him with her body.

The ground shook violently as Rhiannon pulled Seren of the bed, the glass no longer showering on them. Carefully, they went outside onto the Estate grounds amongst the shattered glass that littered the pavement, the TARDIS behind them.

“What was that?” Rose asked as she joined Seren and Rhiannon.

She was followed by Siwan, Adam, with David in his arms, Jackie, Mickey and Johnny, with Mica in his arms. Rhiannon took a crying Mica from Johnny and held her close as he put his arm around his wife.

“Sonic wave.” Adam replied, rubbing a sobbing David’s back soothingly.

“It’s the effect of the spaceship hitting the atmosphere.” Seren added as they all looked up.

They weren’t the only ones looking up at the sky. All those that weren’t possessed turned and looked up as the massive spaceship glided overhead and into view, blocking out the sun.

The ship itself resembled a massive powered rock with dangerous points at regular intervals along the rim of the hull. The ship was a brown-grey colour and almost as big as Westminster, if not bigger.

They watched as it glided over them and coming to a hovering stop above Central London. Seren stared at it for several seconds before making a snap decision and running back inside the flat, the sudden move startling the others.

“Seren?!” Jackie called to the Welshwoman’s retreating back.

She shrugged and they followed her back inside the flat. Seren ran into her room and began untucking the Doctor, the rest standing in the doorway in confusion.

“Johnny, you’re going to carry him.” Seren said briskly, taking charge and not leaving room for anyone to argue. “Adam, grab your medical kit. Siwan, Rose, Rhi, grab a few essentials that you need, Siwan and Rhi, make sure you get for Adam and Johnny as well. Mickey grab your laptop and whatever else you need for it before helping Rhi get a few things for the kids. Just essentials, the TARDIS can provide everything else – clothes, supplies, things like that. Aunt Jackie grab some food. David, grab your bag and watch your sister while we get the things together.” She looked at them, determination and desperation swimming in her purple eyes. “We’re leaving.”

“Where to?” Mickey asked as Seren tossed the covers onto the floor.

“The TARDIS.” Seren replied, grabbing the dressing gown and spreading it on the bed. “It’s the only place that is safe.”

“What are we going to do in there?” Rose asked in confusion.

“Hide.” Seren replied.

“Is that it?!” Jackie exclaimed in surprise.

The surprise was mirrored on the others’ faces as well, Seren had never been one to give up and hide when things were dangerous. She was the one encouraging others to keep fighting.

“Aunt Jackie, you guys – look at the sky!” Seren exclaimed, looking at the in frustration. “There’s big bloody alien invasion occurring right now and – and I have no idea what to do. All right? I have travelled with him to the furthest reaches of the Universe, I’ve done everything I could to help people I barely knew, who weren’t even  _my_  people, and I’ve seen so much. But when I’m at home and things go to hell, I’m useless. I’m completely and utterly useless. Now, as much as I hate it and as much as every part of me wants to find a way to fight, there’s nothing we can do except run and hide, and I’m sorry. Now move.”

Everyone except Adam and Johnny left the room, not liking the idea of running away and hiding, but knowing that they didn’t have any other choice. Seren heaved the Doctor up by his shoulders into a sitting position, Adam holding him up while her and Johnny quickly got the dressing gown on him.

Once it was on and secured, Adam helped Johnny properly lift the unconscious man into a fireman’s carry. Once the Doctor was secure on the giant Welshman’s shoulders, Seren grabbed her purse as well as Adam’s medical bag and they left the room.

Seren led the group out of the flat carrying her travel bag, Johnny behind her carrying the Doctor with Adam taking David in his arms, Siwan carrying Mica’s multi-purpose diaper bag as well as her own and Adam’s travel bags, Rhiannon carrying Mica as well as her own and Johnny’s travel bags, Mickey carrying his laptop bag as well as his travel bag and Rose and Jackie bringing up the rear, Rose carrying several bags of food as well as her travel bag while Jackie carried several more.

The two blonde women struggled with the number of bags they were holding, Jackie having to stop a number of times to pick up the bags that fell before they even reached the stairs. Adam shook his head and put David on the floor, grabbing a few bags from Jackie. He handed a smaller one to David to hold, to help the confused and frightened boy feel useful and to give him something to do, while Mickey grabbed a few from Rose.

They hurriedly made their way to the TARDIS, glancing up at the ship still hovering above them. Seren opened the doors and letting everyone inside. Johnny gently laid the Doctor on the console platform while Rhiannon put Mica down nearby.

“Any chance you could fly this thing?” Mickey asked as he dropped the bags he was holding next to a coral pillar.

“No.” Seren replied, shaking her head sadly.

The others dropped their bags as well before Johnny, David and Rhiannon looked around the room in amazement, the only ones aside from Adam who hadn’t been inside the TARDIS before.

 “But you did it before.” Adam said with a frown, kneeling next to the Doctor and checking his vitals. Siwan had told him what had happened in October after he returned home following the surgery.

“I know, but she’s – it’s like she’s not working right now.” Seren replied quietly, leaning against the console, next to where Mica was sitting with David. “Not without the Doctor at full health.”

“So, we just sit here then?” Johnny asked, only slightly rhetorically.

“Yes.” Seren replied, crossing her arms and blowing a tendril of hair away from her face in frustration. “That’s as good as it’s gonna get.”

“Right, here we go.” Jackie said, taking out a thermal flask and some cups. “Nice cup of tea.”

She poured the steaming liquid and handed a mug to Siwan, who took it with a smile.

“The solution for everything.” Rose muttered sarcastically, leaning back against the console.

“Now stop your moaning.” Jackie snapped sternly, looking at her daughter. She handed the flask to Mickey as she said, “I’ll get the rest of the food.”

She turned and hurried out of the TARDIS as Seren sat down next to the Doctor, looking at him, his face peaceful as though he were only sleeping.

“Tea. Like we’re having a picnic while the world comes to an end. Very British.” Mickey commented, walking around the console.

Seren didn’t reply as David came over and hugged her tightly before sitting in her lap. Mica shakily toddled over to Seren as well, but stopped by the Doctor’s head and sat next to him, putting her tiny hand on his smooth cheek.

“How does this thing work?” Mickey asked, looking to the monitor attached to the console as he out the flask on the jump seat behind him. “If it picks up TV, maybe we could see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered.” He pressed a few buttons on the keypad, trying to get it to show something other than the screensaver. “What do you do to it?”

“Stop pressing buttons, Mickey.” Seren scolded tiredly as she nudged David off her lap and stood up. Rose joined Mickey by the monitor and began pressing buttons as well. “Rose! I said, stop.”

The monitor began emitting a beeping sound as it displayed an odd pattern and Seren looked at it in confusion.

“Maybe it’s a distress signal.” Johnny suggested, having turned to look at them, though staying away from his irritated sister-in-law.

“That’s not going to be much help now.” Seren muttered, leaning back against a coral pillar.

“Are you going to be a misery all the time?” Rose asked, whirling around to glare at her with her hands on her hips.

“Yes.” Seren replied, nodding.

“You should look at it from our point of view - stuck in here with Jackie's cooking.” Mickey said, glancing at the Welshwoman and shuddering slightly.

The others shuddered as well, Seren, Siwan and Rose being the only ones that were used to Jackie’s cooking.

“Where is she anyway?” Siwan asked, looking around. “It shouldn’t be taking this long to get the food, even if she’s carrying a boat load of bags.”

“I’d better go help her.” Seren said, pushing herself off the coral pillar and walking towards the door. “It could start raining missiles or something at any time. Come on Siwan. Rose.”

“Tell her anything from a tin!” Mickey called to their retreating back as he grabbed the thermal flask and a mug.

“Why don’t you tell her yourself?” Rose asked, turning to look at her ex-boyfriend.

Rhiannon picked Mica up when the little girl tried to climb onto the unconscious Doctor, intending to curl up on his chest.

“I’m not that brave.” Mickey admitted, walking around the console and coming to a stop by the Doctor as Seren turned to look at him, one hand on the door handle.

“I don’t know, I think you’re quite brave.” Seren said with a smile, opening the door and letting Rose and Siwan out first.

Mickey smiled back as Seren stepped out of the TARDIS, closing the door before turning around.

The moment they turned around, the three women were grabbed by the aliens and the twins reacted instinctively, back head-butting the chins of the aliens holding them.

“Get off! Get off!” Rose screamed at the aliens.

The sudden reaction from the twins caused the aliens to stagger backwards, though their grips remained tight around the two women, tightening further when they realized that the two knew how to fight. As the two continued to struggle, the one holding Rose tightened his grip on her, causing her to scream.

Mickey, Rhiannon with Mica still in her arms, Johnny with David behind him and Adam ran outside at the sound of Rose’s scream. They stumbled to a stop as they took in their surroundings, momentarily stunned at the sight.

“The door!” Seren yelled, struggling in the large alien’s hold. “Close the door!”

The yell shook them out of their stupor and Mickey ran for the TARDIS door, reaching it and managing to slam it closed seconds before one of the aliens reached it. In response, the alien grabbed Mickey and held him tightly. The leader yelled in glee and the on-lookers cheered in excitement.

Johnny picked David up and held him close as Rhiannon tightened her hold on Mica. Harriett, Alex and Indra stumbled towards them, coming to a stop right next to the newly teleported group.

“Seren. Siwan.” Harriett gasped as she pulled the younger women into a tight hug. “Seren! Siwan! I've got you. My Lord. Oh, my precious girls.” She lowered her voice into a whisper as she asked, “The Doctor, is he with you?”

Seren and Siwan were silent for several seconds.

“No.” Seren replied finally in a shaky voice, also whispering. “We’re on our own for this one.”

Harriett gasped in despair, holding the two Welshwomen tightly. They broke apart and Siwan hugged Indra tightly for a moment before stepping back. The alien leader spoke in the harsh tongue to the others while, in whispers, Harriett and Indra began filling the small group in on what had happened – the aliens were called the ‘Sycorax’ and Alex, using his hand held PDA, could translate what was being said.

“Why are you shimmering like someone dumped a bottle of glitter on you?” Indra asked, looking at the shimmering gold veins in her hands and face.

Harriett and Alex turned to Seren, questioning expressions on their faces as well.

“Don’t ask.” Siwan replied with a groan, shaking her head exasperatedly. “It’ll give you a headache.”

Once they had filled each other in, which took less than a few minutes, the Sycorax leader turned to the group. He pointed at Seren and spoke in an almost angry sounding tone.

As one, they turned to Alex who subtitled for them.

“The purple-orbed shimmering girl. She has the clever blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet.”

“But she can’t.” Harriett and Rhiannon protested, Rhiannon reaching out and holding Seren’s shoulder with her free hand.

“Don’t you dare!” Rose and Mickey cried in unison.

“Someone has to.” Seren said, projecting an aura of calm despite her own terror.

“She’s right.” Siwan said practically, looking at her loved ones.

“Who’s side are you on?!” Indra and Alex asked in unison, staring at the sapphire-eyed Welshwoman incredulously.

“They’ll kill you.” Harriet said, grabbing Seren’s arm.

“That never stopped anyone before.” Seren said softly, turning to look at them. She gently pried Harriet’s, then Rhiannon’s, arms off her and stepped forward slightly toward the Sycorax leader. The Sycorax that surrounded the cavern-like room muttered excitedly as Seren looked at the Sycorax leader in his red eyes, her head held high and her back straight and proud. “I address the Sycorax under peaceful contract, according to Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation.” The Sycorax leader began striding toward her and she had to force herself not to step backward. She took a breath and felt the presence of her loved ones behind her, watching her and giving her strength despite their own fear. She stared at the leader with fierce eyes as she continued, “I command you to leave this world in peace. They have only just begun to learn of alien kind, and they are still learning. So I ask of you to leave before the tide turns from your favour.”

For several seconds, the cavern was absolutely silent before the leader began laughing. Within seconds, the cavern echoed with the harsh-sounding laughter of all the Sycorax.

“Okay, not good.” Seren muttered as she stepped backward slightly and glancing around in thinly veiled fear.

The Sycorax leader began speaking again and Alex translated.

“You are very, very funny.” Seren gave a nervous smile as the leader’s tone became angry, brandishing his whip. “And now you’re going to die.”

“Leave her alone!” Harriett and Siwan yelled, lurching forward.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” Adam, Indra and Mickey yelled.

“Seren!” Rose screamed with a sob, tears of fear streaming down her face.

“Auntie Seren!” David screamed, Johnny holding him tightly as the little boy reached a hand out to his beloved Aunt.

They were all held back by the Sycorax that were guarding them as the leader walked up to Seren, speaking as Alex translated.

“Did you think you were clever with your stolen words? We are the Sycorax, we stride the darkness.” The leader raised his arms passionately as he spoke.

“I thought I was pretty clever.” Seren sassed, staring at the leader fiercely as he hissed at her.

The tears of fear streaming down David and Mica’s faces lighting a fire of ferocity in her heart. She wasn’t going to give the Sycorax any more power over her by showing them her fear.

“Next to us you are but a wailing child. If you are the best your planet can offer as a Champion…”

“Then your world will be gutted…” The leader said and Seren’s expression changed to one of shock.

“Then your world will be gutted…” Alex repeated.

Siwan, Rose and Mickey stopped struggling and looked at each other in shock.

“…and your people enslaved.” The leader finished his tirade.

“…and your people enslaved.” Alex repeated before realizing what happened. He looked up at them all as he said, “Hold on, that’s English.”

“He’s talking English.” Harriett said with a confused frown.

 “You’re speaking English.” Seren told the Sycorax leader, turning around again to look at him.

“I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile.” The leader spat, glaring a Seren for even suggesting the possibility.

“That’s English.” Seren said to him before turning and looking back at her loved ones, seeing the same shock on Siwan, Rose and Mickey’s faces and the confusion on everyone else’s. “Anyone else hear English?” She asked them.

They all nodded furiously in response.

“Yeah, that’s English.” Mickey replied.

“Definitely English.” Alex agreed.

“David,  _baban,_ can you hear English?” Johnny gently asked the little boy in his arms.

David nodded in response, clutching his father’s shirt tightly.

“I speak only Sycoraxic!” The leader exclaimed angrily as Seren whirled around to look at him.

“If you’re speaking Sycoraxic, but we can hear English,” Seren said softly, her eyes widening with dawning realization. “That means it’s being translated. And if it’s being translated, that means it’s working. And if it’s working, that means…”

She slowly turned around and looked at the TARDIS, Mickey, Rose, Harriet, Adam, Indra, Johnny and Rhiannon following suit.

The doors opened and standing in the doorway, a wide smile on his face and dressed in his borrowed pin-striped pyjamas and navy blue dressing gown, was the Doctor.

“Did you miss me?” He asked, the smile becoming a grin.

Seren smiled widely in delight in response. The Sycorax leader roared furiously lashed his whip at the Time Lord, who ducked backward slightly to avoid the electrical weapon hitting his face before reaching out and grabbing the end, the current fading as he tugged it forcefully, pulling it away from the Sycorax leader.

“You could have someone’s eye out with that!” The Doctor exclaimed with a frown as he strode out of the TARDIS, tossing it to the side.

“How dare!” The leader roared and raised his staff at the Doctor.

The Doctor grabbed the staff and broke it across his knee, breaking the weapon in two before tossing the pieces aside.

“You just can't get the staff.” The Doctor muttered as the astonished alien looked at the floor where his weapon was lying in pieces. “Now, you, just wait. I'm busy.” The leader looked back at the Doctor, the astonished open-mouthed expression now aimed at the Time Lord, who pointed warningly. Seren giggled lightly at the Sycorax leader’s expression as the Doctor turned around to look at the humans. “Mickey, Rose, hello! Siwan, Adam, Johnny, Rhiannon, David and Mica! You’re all here, hello!” He grinned madly as he looked at them, Mica and David looking at him in confusion. He turned to Harriet, who looked at him in confusion. “And Harriet Jones MP for Flydale North! Blimey, it's like ‘This Is Your Life’.” He turned to Seren, beaming brightly. “Tea! That's all I needed, a good cup of tea! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannin. Just the thing for healing the synapses.” His expression turned serious as he lowered his voice. “Now, first thing's first... be honest. How do I look?”

Seren looked at him ponderingly, cocking her head to the side.

“Different.” She said finally, smiling up at him.

“Good different? Dad different?”

“Not entirely sure.” She replied honestly.

“Am I... ginger?” He asked, absolutely serious. Seren burst out laughing at the question as well as the tone he used. “I’m serious! Am I ginger?”

“No.” Seren replied, her laughter slowing to down to a chuckle. “You’re chestnut brown.”

“Aww, I wanted to be ginger.” He whined with a pout, turning away. “I’ve never been ginger.” He whirled around, pointing violently at Seren. “And you, Seren Rhosyn Jones, fat lot of good you were.” Seren jolted back at the sudden rudeness and looked away in shame, knowing he had been right – she  _had_  given up on him, when he had needed her most. “You gave up on me-” He cut himself off as a pondering expression crossed his face. “Oh, that's rude. That's the sort of man I am now, am I? Rude.” He looked away ponderingly. “Rude and not ginger.”

Seren looked up at him, biting her lip to keep the smile from spreading across her face at his actions.

“I’m sorry, who is this?” Harriett asked Seren, pointing at the Doctor.

“I’m the Doctor.” The Doctor replied, looking at the older brunette woman.

“He’s the Doctor.” Seren said in agreement, glancing at the Time Lord before turning back to the PM.

“But what happened to my Doctor?” Harriett asked Seren before turning to the Doctor and asking, “Or is it a title that's just passed on?”

“I’m him.” The Doctor replied, walking towards her. “I'm literally him. Same man, new face. Well, new everything.”

“But you can’t be him.” Harriett protested, looking at the man in front of her and mentally comparing him to the one she had met several months earlier.

“Harriet Jones, we were trapped in Downing Street and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens… it wasn't the war… it was the thought of your mother being on her own.” He said, telling her something that only the Doctor, Indra and the twins would know.

“Oh, my God.” Harriett breathed, her eyes wide as she was given the absolute evidence of the man’s claims.

“Did you win the election?” He asked, curious and eager to know.

“Landslide majority.” She replied with a bashful smile, looking pleased.

“If I might interrupt.” The Sycorax leader said, moving forward slightly.

“I forgot he was there.” Seren muttered as they all spun around to look at the Sycorax leader.

“Me, too.” Siwan and Johnny said sheepishly.

“Same.” Rhiannon and Adam said in deadpan unison.

The others gaped at them in complete confusion, wondering how in the world they could forget.

“Yes, sorry!” The Doctor exclaimed, turning to look at the Sycorax leader. He walked toward the leader slightly, his hands behind his back. “Hello, big fella!”

“Who exactly are you?” The leader asked him.

“Well, that’s the question.” The Doctor replied with a grin.

“I demand to know who you are!” The leader roared.

“ **I don't know!** ” The Doctor roared in response, using the harsh, rough voice the Sycorax had. He relaxed his posture and his voice as he continued, “See, there's the thing. I'm the Doctor, but beyond that, I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested.” He began walking around, addressing everyone present. “Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Sexy?” He looked at Seren and winked cheekily, causing her to blush lightly as she smiled at him. She raised one hand and brought her index finger and her thumb close to each other in a ‘little bit’ gesture and he grinned at her in response as he carried on with the list of possible personality traits. “Right old misery? Life and soul? Right handed? Left handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor? A liar? A nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob.” He noticed something at the top of a short flight of stairs and looked back at the leader with a wide manic smile. “And how am I going to react when I see this, a great big threatening button.” He pointed at the button he was referring to. He bounded up the stairs, laughing. Seren, Mickey, Harriett, the Sycorax guarding them and the leader followed him up. The other humans ran to the stairs and looked up towards the Doctor as he continued, “A Great Big Threatening Button Which Must Not Be Pressed Under Any Circumstances, am I right?” His grin faded as he became curious. “Let me guess. It's some sort of control matrix, hmm? Hold on, what's feeding it?” He crouched down and pulled open a small door at the base of the pillar underneath the button. “And what've we got here? Blood?” He reached inside the panel and dipped his finger in the liquid and tasting it. Seren grimaced in disgust at the action and groaned. “Yeah, definitely blood. Human blood. A Positive, with just a dash of iron.” He waged his tongue and made a sound of disgust at the terrible taste of the blood, wiping his finger on the dressing gown. “But that means… blood control.” His expression brightened at the realization. “Blood control!” He repeated, positively delighted. “Oh, I haven't seen blood control for years. You're controlling all the A Positives.” The leader’s grimace faltered slightly at being found out. The Doctor’s excited expression faded, and he became matter-of-fact. “Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. Because I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So, if I see a Great Big Threatening Button Which Should Never, Ever, Ever Be Pressed… then I just want to do this.”

He whacked the button, hard.

“No!” Harriet, Seren and Rose shouted in unison, staring at the Doctor in shock.

“You killed them!” Alex and Indra yelled despairingly in unison.

“What do you think, big fella?” The Doctor asked the Sycorax leader. “Are they dead?”

“We allow them to live.” The leader said bitterly.

“Allow?” The Doctor repeated incredulously. “You’ve got no choice!” He began walking around as he explained, the humans following his movements. “I mean, that's all blood control is. A cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes. It's like hypnosis. You can hypnotise someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis. You can't hypnotise them to death. Survival instinct's too strong.”

"Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the armada and take this world by force." The Sycorax leader said.

“Well, yeah, you could, yeah, you could do that, of course you could. But why? Look at these people.” He leaned against ledge and gestured to the humans as he spoke passionately in their defence. “These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen.” Seren bit back a mile as she listened to his words. David, who had his face buried in his father’s shoulder looked up at the familiar words, looking at the Doctor. “More to do than... No, hold on.” The Doctor paused, looking to the side as he considered his words. “Sorry, that's The Lion King.” He pushed off the ledge and moved to stand beside the Sycorax guarding Seren. “But the point still stands. Leave them alone!”

“Or what?” The Sycorax leader asked challengingly.

“Or…” The Doctor said, drawing a sword from Seren’s guard. He bounded down the stairs towards the TARDIS, coming to a stop in the empty space that was in front of the magnificent blue box. He turned and faced the leader, raising the sword in the air as he declared, “I challenge you!” The Sycorax leader roared with laughter, the rest of the Sycorax following suit. The harsh sound echoed in the cavern, causing Mica and David to bury their heads back in their parents’ shoulders, whimpering in fear. “Oh, that struck a chord.” He muttered to himself before raising his voice to be heard over the laughter. “Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?”

“You stand as this world’s Champion.” The leader said, walking down the steps and drawing his own sword.

Seren, Mickey and Harriet rapidly followed the leader, coming to a stop beside Adam, Rose and the other humans, watching the interaction with wide eyes.

“Thank you.” The Doctor said, shrugging off the dressing gown one arm at a time without losing his hold on the sword. “I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up.” Without looking, he tossed the robe to Seren who caught it and folded it over her arms. “So, you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?”

“What does that mean?” David asked curiously, raising his head at the strange words and looking at the Doctor as the Sycorax leader hissed at the insult.

“Something that you should never repeat again.” The Doctor replied, glancing at the boy briefly.

“It’s a very bad thing to call someone.” Seren explained, looking at the boy. “And if you were to repeat it, it would make Auntie Seren very sad.”

“Auntie Seren, don’t be sad.” David said softly. “David promises not to say that ever.”

“Thank you, David.” She said with a gentle smile at the boy.

The Sycorax all roared in unison, and they turned their attention back to the duel. The Doctor and the leader raised their swords in the air, the points facing down, standing in front of each other. They lowered the sword points to the ground, kneeling beside them as they stared at each other without blinking.

“For the planet?” The leader asked.

“For the planet.” The Doctor agreed.

They stood up and faced each other, holding their swords at the ready. For a moment, they just stared at each other before running towards each other and clashing swords.

As they fought, Johnny and Rhiannon turned David and Mica’s heads away, not wanting the precious children to see any more of the violence than they had already been witness to.

For the first few seconds, each strike was blocked by the other until the leader, using the Doctor’s own momentum against him, swung his sword in a wide upwards arch. The move threw the Doctor aside, but he managed to stay on his feet, staggering slightly. The Sycorax leader laughed as the Doctor staggered, but it faded as the Time Lord straightened up once more and turned to face him.

The Doctor moved back to stand in front of the leader, both holding their swords at the ready for another round. The leader made the first move, swinging his sword at the Doctor, but he dodged and swung his own sword.

Each one swung his sword, only for the other to block the blow before swinging his own. The leader roared and swung his sword downwards as the Doctor stumbled backwards and fell to the ground.

“Look out!” Rose yelled to him.

“Oh, yeah, that helps.” The Doctor replied sarcastically as he got to his feet. “Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks.”

He and the leader clashed swords again, each swinging and blocking the blows. However, it was clear that the Sycorax leader was the more experienced swordsman.

Seren watched in terror, reaching out and grabbing Indra’ hand, squeezing tightly. The PM’s aide didn’t even notice, too focused on the duel occurring in front of them for the planet below.

Adam watched with a frown, seeing the way that the two were fighting. The Sycorax was fighting with cold experience and the desire to conquer while the Doctor was fighting with passion and the desire to defend.

As the Doctor blocked another blow, the leader elbowed him in the stomach. The Doctor groaned at the hit and turned, running up a flight of stairs.

“Bit of fresh air?” The Doctor asked, hitting a button on the side panel and opening up a door.

He ran out onto the platformed hull of the spaceship as the leader, the humans and the Sycorax guarding them followed. As the Doctor and the leader resumed their duel, Rhiannon and Johnny staying in the doorway, wanting to be away from the edge of the ship while still being able to see the duel, while the rest stood near the wall and watched with wide eyes.

The two duelers fought, each managing to block the other’s blow until the leader manged to catch the Doctor slightly on the nose. The Time Lord groaned at the blow and Seren ran forward, only for Adam to catch her around the waist and hold her tightly, preventing her from interfering.

“Stay back! In validate the challenge and he wins the planet.” The Doctor yelled to her, wiping his nose on his sleeve as she began struggling in the Immortal’s hold. She stopped instantly and stared in terror as the fighting resumed with the two running towards each other.

They crossed swords and stared at each other fiercely, both grimacing with the effort and the strain of the duel. The leader pushed the Doctor back and the two began trying to strike one another, only for the blows to be blocked. After several seconds, the leader managed to hit the Doctor in the leg and the Time Lord fell to his knee with a groan. The leader swung the hilt of his sword at the Doctor’s face, knocking him backward completely to the ground, his head and part of the upper torso out over the edge.

Taking advantage of the Doctor’s vulnerable position, the leader roared and swung at the Time Lord’s sword arm. The swing sliced it off entirely, right up to the middle of the forearm, and it fell to the Earth below with the sword.

“Doctor!” Seren screamed in horror as he watched his arm drop out of sight below the clouds. Adam tightened his hold on her, keeping her from running forward like she wanted to.

He looked at his armless sleeve before looking back at the leader in stunned annoyance.

“You cut my hand off.” The Doctor stated, stunned.

“YAH! Sycorax!” The leader yelled triumphantly, holding his sword in the air as he turned away from the Time Lord and faced the rest of them.

Harriett covered her face with her hands as Seren ignored the Sycorax leader and looked at the Time Lord behind him.

She watched as the Doctor got back to his feet, his eyes filled with determination.

“And now I know what sort of man I am.” He said, causing the leader to turn back and look at him. Harriet peeked through her fingers for a second before lowering them completely when she saw that the Doctor was still alive. “I'm lucky. Because quite by chance… I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle, which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy… to do this.”

He held up the stump of his arm and before their eyes, he grew a new hand. Seren gave a sigh of relief and Adam let her go, staying close in case he had to grab her again.

“Witchcraft.” The leader hissed.

“Time Lord.” The Doctor corrected, wiggling his fingers as Seren drew a sword from one of the guards.

“Doctor!” Seren yelled and he turned.

She tossed the sword to him and he caught it by the handle, spinning it around.

“Oh, so I’m still the Doctor then?” He asked her.

“You always were.” She replied with a genuine smile. He smiled back at her ten-fold as she said, “Win this duel.”

“As you wish.” He said softly, turning to face the leader. He raised the sword up and the Sycorax leader did the same. “Wanna know the best bit?” He asked, staring at the leader fiercely. “This new hand…” He took on a mock Texan accent as he said, “It’s a fightin’ hand!”

The Doctor ran at the Sycorax leader and they clashed swords as the leader blocked the Time Lord’s swing. They kept clashing for several seconds as they blocked each other’s blows until the Doctor managed to jab the hilt of his sword into the Sycorax leader’s abdomen.

The onlookers winced in sympathy as the leader groaned, the Doctor hitting him with the handle in the abdomen twice more. At the repeated hits to the abdomen, the leader fell to the ground in the same position the Doctor had been in several minutes earlier – his head and upper torso hanging over the edge of the ship. The Doctor pointed his sword at the leader’s throat.

“I win.” The Doctor said, looking down at his defeated opponent.

“Then kill me.” The leader said with difficulty.

“I'll spare your life if you'll take this Champion's command.” The Doctor said to him. “Leave this planet, and never return. What do you say?”

“Yes.” The leader said, panting.

“Swear on the blood of your species.” The Doctor ordered seriously, pressing the sword down on the leader’s throat.

“I swear.” The leader said, his breathing laboured.

"There we are, then!” The Doctor said, stepping back and removing the sword form the leader’s throat. “Thanks for that! Cheers, big fella!"

The Doctor turned around to face the onlookers, sticking the sword into the ground.

“Bravo!” Harriett cheered, clapping.

Seren rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. He hugged her back just as tightly, lifting her off the ground as she laughed. He put her down, his arms still around her as she pulled back slightly and looked at him with shining eyes.

“That says everything.” She said softly, hugging him again tightly before they separated.

“Yeah! Not bad for a man in his jim-jams!” He said happily as she helped him back into his dressing gown. “Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man. Hold on, what have I got in here?” He frowned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a satsuma. Seren looked at it and laughed lightly, the sun’s rays causing her shimmering veins to shine brightly. “A satsuma. Ah, that friend of Jackie’s. He does like his snacks doesn't he?” He took Seren’s hand and they began walking towards the others. He used his free hand to toss the satsuma in the air and catch it. “But doesn't that just sum up Christmas? You go through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma?”

Behind them, the Sycorax leader stood up and picked up his sword. He raised the sword, roaring as he charged at the pair. Without even looking back, the smile fading from his face, the Doctor threw the satsuma at a button on the hull of the ship causing a piece of the wing to open beneath the leader’s feet. The leader screamed as he fell to his death.

“No second chances. I’m that sort of man.” The Doctor said darkly.

Seren squeezed his hand in reassurance as David ran up to the two and wrapped his arms around the Doctor’s waist, hugging him tightly. The Doctor let go of Seren’s hand and lifted the boy up, carrying him on his waist. He put his arm around Seren’s waist as they continued walking back towards the doorway.

“Uncle Doctor?” David asked, looking at the Time Lord.

“Yes, David?”

“Auntie Siwan said that you’re the same Uncle Doctor as the Uncle Doctor that had healed Auntie Seren. Is that true?”

“Yes, David. It’s true.”

“Auntie Seren said that the Uncle Doctor from before was hurt really badly, like how Tad-cu and Mam-cu were hurt, that’s why he changed and became you. Is that how you are Auntie Seren’s same Uncle Doctor, but different?”

“Yes, David.” The Doctor replied, nodding.

“Okay.” The boy chirped before yawning.

Seren instinctively reached out and covered the yawn with the back of her hand as the Doctor rolled his eyes at her.

“Don’t start.” She warned him as David’s eyes fluttered slightly.

He rested his head on the Doctor’s shoulder and, between one second to the next, fell asleep, his tight hold loosening slightly.

“Someone’s exhausted.” Adam commented with a chuckle as he took in the sight of David’s knocked out form. “And he’s not the only one. Mica’s asleep to.” He gestured to Mica who was asleep in her mother’s arms.

“Can you blame them?” Siwan asked rhetorically as they walked back inside the ship. “We have had chaotic Christmases, but this one is, by far, the most chaotic.”

“Tell me about it.” Seren said with a groan, remembering the previous years.

They fell silent as they wet down the stairs and came to a stop in the open space in front of the TARDIS. With David still in his arms and one hand interlocked with Seren’s, the Doctor turned to face the remaining Sycorax.

“By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time.” He said in a loud, authoritative voice, the commanding image not diminished at all by his attire or David sleeping in his arms. If anything, it only enhanced the image. “And when go you back to the stars and tell others of this planet… when you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this: It-is-defended.”

Once the Doctor gave his command and the Sycorax agreed, the small group and the TARDIS was teleported back to Earth.

“Where are we?” Seren asked as soon as they had materialized, looking around.

“We're just off Bloxom Road.” Mickey replied, recognizing the surroundings. “We're just ‘round the corner, we did it!”

Mickey laughed as he jumped with glee, Rose following suit soon after.

“Wait a minute… wait a minute.” The Doctor said to the pair, holding a hand out and causing them to freeze in place, their hands in the air.

They heard the spaceship’s engines start up and watched as it flew off, leaving Earth for good.

“Go on, my son! Oh, yeah!” Mickey cheered gleefully.

Seren and Siwan burst out laughing, their peals of musical laughter mixing with Adam and Johnny’s deeper peals.

“Yeah! Don’t come back!” Rose cheered as she jumped onto Mickey’s back.

“It is defended!” Mickey cheered, repeating the Doctor’s words.

The Doctor hugged Seren tightly before they pulled back. David and Mica woke up from the noise and looked around, blinking blearily as they all cheered. Rose jumped off Mickey’s back and ran up to Alex, tightly hugging the surprised aide. Siwan ran up to Indra and hugged him tightly while Rhiannon handed Mica to Johnny and hugged the Doctor. The Doctor put David down and returned the hug with equal happiness as Adam lifted David and hugged him tightly. Seren hugged Johnny tightly before taking Mica and tossing her into the air and catching her again, causing the little girl to shriek happily. Mickey hugged Seren, sandwiching Mica between them.

They all laughed and hugged each other, Mica and David soaking up the happiness eagerly following the tense atmosphere that had been aboard the Sycorax ship. They were Empaths like Seren and Siwan, however their abilities were intermittent at best, only able to feel incredibly strong emotions or if a few emotions were being felt by a group of people.

Seren joined the Doctor and hugged him again tightly and pulled back, his arms around her.

Harriett walked up to them and they turned to her. The older brunette woman raised her arms, grinning at the Doctor.

“My Doctor.” She said, accepting that he was the same man.

“Prime Minister.” The Doctor said with a matching grin.

They hugged tightly, laughing happily before breaking apart.

“Absolutely the same man.” Harriett said in acceptance. Seren walked up to them and the Doctor took her hand, interlocking their fingers. Harriett looked up at the sky in curiosity, the Doctor and Seren doing the same. “Are there many more out there?”

“Oh, not just Sycorax.” The Doctor replied. “Hundreds of species. Thousands of them. And the Human Race is drawing attention to itself. Every day you're sending out probes and messages and signals - this planet's so noisy. You're getting noticed more and more.” He looked at her while she still looked up. “You'd better get used to it.”

“Rose! Seren, Siwan! Rhi!”

They all turned to the sound of the cry and saw Jackie running towards them.

“Mum!” Rose shouted.

“Aunt Jackie!” Seren, Siwan and Rhiannon shouted in unison.

“Oh! Talking of trouble…” The Doctor muttered as the four women ran to Jackie and embraced her in a tight group hug.

“Oh, my God!” Jackie exclaimed, hugging her daughter and god-daughters tightly. “You did it, Seren! Oh!”

“ _You_  did it, Aunt Jackie.” Seren said, looking at the older woman proudly.

Mickey, Adam, Johnny and the kids joined the group as the Doctor looked on, a smile on his face.

“It was the tea that healed him. Your tea.” Siwan explained with a bright smile as Adam put his arms around her, Johnny doing the same with Rhiannon.

“That was all I needed, cup o’ tea.” The Doctor said as they turned to look at him, their arms still around each other.

“I said so!” Jackie exclaimed pointedly at Rose, who laughed in response.

Mickey lifted David up and put the little boy on his back, carrying him piggy-back style while Rose picked Mica up and held her.

“Look at him.” Seren said, smiling happily at the Time Lord.

“Is it him, though? Is it really the Doctor?” Jackie asked, wanting to be certain.

“Yes, Grandmam Jackie, it really is Uncle Doctor.” David said, looking at the blonde from where he was riding on Mickey’s back.

Jackie looked at him before looking at the Doctor, who shrugged his shoulders slightly. Harriett turned and looked at them and Jackie’s eyes widened when she caught sight of the powerful woman.

“Oh, my God! It’s the bleeding Prime Minister!” She exclaimed as Seren and the Doctor chuckled.

“Come here, you.” The Doctor said, chuckling lightly and holding his arms out to her.

“Aww.” Jackie sighed, running to him and throwing her arms around his neck.

The rest of the Tyler/ Jones/ Smith/ Pierson family joined in the group hug, Mica and David being squashed in the middle. Mica, irritated at being squeezed again, voiced her displeasure – loudly.

“Are you better?” Jackie asked the Time Lord softly as they pulled apart.

“I am, yeah.” The Doctor replied, laughing as Mica glared at them.

“There’s one thing I have to ask.” Mickey said, looking at the Doctor. “What’s with Seren’s shimmering veins?”

“Yeah, I’m curious about that too.” Jackie said, looking at Seren’s shimmering face, neck and arms.

“Well, when you kept a piece of the Vortex, it caused a physical change in you. Like how it healed your eyesight.” The Doctor replied, running his fingers gently over the shimmering veins of Seren’s face. “The Vortex piece inside you gave you a little something extra. You give the appearance of being in the first outward sign of regeneration – the gold shimmer in the veins signifying the pending change. It isn’t harmful or anything, nor will you actually regenerate since you’re not a Time Lady, so you don’t need to worry.”

“You mean she’s going to look like someone dumped a bottle of gold glitter over her for the rest of her life?” Johnny asked incredulously.

“Pretty much, yeah.” The Doctor replied, nodding.

“Well, I guess we’re going to be with the ‘I had a little incident involving the wrong kind of make-up in Egypt’ story.” Seren commented with a grin.

“Yeah, that could work.” The Doctor said with a nod before frowning slightly. “Why Egypt?”

“Because as far as anyone’s concerned, I’m travelling the world.” Seren replied. “It was the easiest thing to say that was still the truth.”

“And besides, you do travel on Earth, most of the time it’s just in different time periods.” Siwan pointed out.

“Fair point.” The Doctor said with a grin as Jackie whirled around and glared at Seren, her hands on her hips.

“You left me!” The blonde woman said accusingly.

“I’m sorry.” Seren said, biting back her chuckle as she raised her hands in mock surrender.

“I had all the food!” Jackie continued, turning the half-heated glare on Siwan.

The Doctor and Seren turned and gave Harriett, Alex and Indra brief smiles before turning back to the family. Siwan was placating Jackie while Rose and Mickey fanned the blonde’s irritation, causing Siwan to glare threateningly at the two.

The Doctor looked at Seren and gave her a bright happy smile that she returned. Everyone jumped, startled from their conversation as a beam of green light loudly shot up from the ground nearby, the beam being joined by four others from different points in the city. The five points of the beam energy met in the middle before shooting up into space in a thick concentrated ray at the retreating spaceship.

As soon as the concentrated ray hit the spaceship, Seren and Siwan’s knees buckled, sending them to the ground. With lightening fast movements, Adam and the Doctor turned their attention to the women they loved, reaching out and catching them. The twins let out pained moans as they began to feel people dying, a massive number of people.

“Seren?” The Doctor asked worriedly as she gripped his arms tightly as they slumped to the ground.

“Siwan?” Adam asked in the same tone, the two also slumping to the ground next to Seren and the Doctor.

Mica and David began crying in pain, feeling the same thing as their Aunts, though on a much smaller scale – merely an echo of what the two older women were feeling. Johnny and Rhiannon picked them up and held them as they screamed in pain, rubbing their backs soothingly.

As the ship exploded above them, the explosion being seen from the ground, Seren and Siwan let out loud pain-filled screams, unable to hold them back as they felt the fear and pain of each of the Sycorax as they died.

“What is that? What’s happening?” Rose asked frantically, looking between he sky and her screaming god-sisters and niece and nephew.

“It… hurts.” Siwan gasped, tears streaming down her face. “So... many… dying…”

“Make… it… stop. Please…!” Seren gasped pleadingly as she gripped the Doctor’s arms.

“Shh. It’ll pass.” The Doctor said softly, soothingly to Seren as Jackie fell to her knees next to them.

The two of them let out a final loud scream before passing out completely from the pain, becoming limp in the Doctor and Adam’s arms.

The Doctor passed the now unconscious woman to Jackie and stood up, anger etched across his face. Jackie held Seren to her chest, petting her head soothingly despite the younger woman being unconscious. Mickey sat next to the two of them, holding Seren’s limp hand gently in a move that mirrored the millions of times he had done it in the past. Rose sat next to Adam and Siwan, gently rubbing the unconscious woman’s arm as Adam held the brunette to his chest.

“That was murder.” The Doctor said angrily, slowly walking towards Harriett, Indra and Alex.

“That was defence.” Harriett corrected him, glancing at the unconscious twins in confusion and wondering how they were able to feel the Sycorax die. “It’s adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth 10 years ago.”

Indra and Alex were also looking at the twins in shock, wondering the same thing as Harriett, how were they able to feel the Sycorax die?

“But they were leaving.” The Doctor protested angrily.

“You said yourself, Doctor, they'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today. Mr. Llewellyn and the Major - they were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping. In which case - we have to defend ourselves.” Harriett argued, the pain at her actions clear in her eyes but standing firm on her reasons why.

“Britain’s Golden Age.” The Doctor spat disdainfully.

“It comes with a price.” Harriet said gravely.

“I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming: the Human Race.” The Doctor bit out angrily.

Seren and Siwan twitched and moaned, despite being unconscious, still feeling the heightened emotions.

“Those are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf.” Harriet said adamantly.

David and Mica let out another cry and their parents hurried to sooth them. The Doctor glanced at them before turning back to Harriett with a scowl.

“Then I should’ve stopped you.” The furious Time Lord growled.

“What does that make you, Doctor? Another alien threat?” Harriett asked him, a challenging note in her voice.

“Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones, because I'm a completely new man.” The Doctor growled angrily, walking towards her. “I could bring down your Government with a single word.”

“You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you're quite capable of that.” Harriett said.

"No, you're right. Not a single word." He agreed, looking down at her silently for a few seconds. "Just six."

“I don’t think so.” Harriet argued.

“Six words.” The Doctor repeated.

“Stop it!” She exclaimed angrily.

“Six.” He said.

The two stared at each other for several seconds in a battle of wills – one dressed primly and the other dressed in pyjamas. The Doctor walked around her and approached Alex and Indra, the two aides standing beside each other. The Doctor removed their earpieces and spoke quietly to them, glancing at Harriett. He walked away, going to Seren and Jackie while Alex and Indra looked at his retreating back in confusion and Harriett looked alarmed.

“I’ve got her.” The Doctor said softly to Jackie.

He picked Seren up and carried her in his arms, bridal style, as they walked down the street, Adam carrying Siwan the same way. Seren moaned in pain, her eyes fluttering open as she looked up at the Doctor with large pain-filled eyes.

“Doctor?” She asked weakly, the pain clear in her voice.

“Shh, go back to sleep.” He said soothingly, looking down at her with his warm, chocolate brown eyes.

“’Kay.” Seren said softly, her eyes already fluttering closed as she rested her head on his shoulder and lost consciousness once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Seren woke up a short time later, she found herself on a bed. She glanced around and saw that she was in her room on the TARDIS. She climbed out of her bed and realized that the pain she had been in was gone - not just the emotional pain from feeling the Sycorax die, but the pain from the physical toll it took on her.

She shuddered slightly, rubbing her arms in an effort to shake off the remnants of the memory. The pain had never been so bad that it would cause her to pass out, it was usually just a flash before fading away, sometimes lasting a few minutes.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught her appearance in her vanity mirror. Her eyes widened, and she ran to her full-length mirror, looking at her slightly changed appearance.

Her hair had become raven-blue with natural layers and fell to her thighs in gentle curls starting from her mid-back. Her large doe-eyes, while still amethyst purple, now had a rim of gold surrounding the outer iris, giving her already unique orbs and exotic look. The rest of her appearance remained the same; she still had high cheekbones, pale snow-white skin, cupid bow lips and the 5’1 hourglass figure, though her long thick eyelashes and arched eyebrows were now raven-blue instead of dark brown. Her veins also still had the gold shimmer.

“Oh, that mad man has  _a lot_  of explaining to do.” Seren muttered to herself as she walked out of her room, wondering if the Doctor was still on the TARDIS or if he was at the flat.

“He has returned to the flat, Star.” Idris told her, giggling lightly at the back of her mind.

“Thank you.” Seren said with a smile, heading towards the console room and leaving the blue box.

She went up to the flat, entering without bothering to knock and closed the door behind her.

“Seren?” Jackie asked, looking towards the door and her eyes widening when she caught sight of the younger woman’s changed appearance. “Oh, my God. Your appearance changed as well.”

“Auntie Seren!” David exclaimed happily, climbing down from his chair and running to her, wrapping his arms around her waist in a tight hug.

Seren crouched down and returned the hug just as eagerly and tightly before letting go and straightening up, taking David’s hand and joining everyone in the living/ dining room.

“What do you mean, ‘as well’, Aunt Jackie?” Seren asked, helping David back into his chair and catching sight of Siwan seated next to Adam at the dining table. “Never mind.”

Siwan’s appearance had changed slightly as well though it was only her hair that had changed, mirroring Seren’s. They were still identical with the only difference being Seren’s shimmering veins and their eyes, though Seren’s had an added difference of having a gold rim around her iris.

“I like this look.” Jackie said, nodding in approval as she pulled Seren into a hug. “On both of you.”

“You think so?” Seren asked hesitantly, pulling back and looking at her god-mother.

“Definitely.” The Doctor said, smiling widely at her.

She smiled back as Jackie put her hands on Seren’s face, making the younger woman look at her.

“Are you feeling better?” She asked worriedly, inspecting the younger woman’s face for any sign of pain.

“Never better, Aunt Jackie.” Seren said with a smile, covering Jackie’s hands with her own tiny ones.

“I said the same thing.” Siwan commented. “And she did the same thing.”

“Well, can you blame me?” Jackie asked the two of them. “You two gave us quite the scare.”

The others nodded in agreement and Seren smiled slightly.

“I feel incredible, Aunt Jackie.” Seren said, squeezing the blonde’s arms gently and looking into her blue eyes. “Absolutely incredible.”

“Though I don’t ever want to go through that again.” Siwan said, shuddering slightly at the remembered pain. Jackie went back to the table and sat down between Mickey and Rose.

“Tell me about it.” Seren said as the Doctor walked over to her. She looked him over, taking in the brown pin-stripped suit. She nodded approvingly, smiling up at him cheekily. “Very nice.”

“You too.” He said with a bright smile, tugging on a curled lock of her hair that had come over her shoulder.

He took her hand and the two walked to the table, sitting next to each other between Siwan and Mickey. They began popping and eating Christmas crackers with each other, enjoying the gifts inside. The Doctor held one out to Seren and she took one side, both pulling. She let out a laugh as their cracker banged loudly, the Doctor winning the prize.

“Oh, this one’s yours.” He said, holding the paper crown out to her.

“Thank you.” She said, inclining her head toward him slightly so that he could put the purple paper crown on her.

“Lovely!” He exclaimed jovially as she straightened up.

“Look, it’s Harriett.” Rhiannon said, her eyes catching sight of the TV.

_“Prime Minister, is it true you are no longer fit to be in position?”_   A reporter asked Harriet as they turned to look at the TV, the Doctor pulling out a pair of dark brown-black dark-rimmed glasses.

“Hey, those look like my glasses.” Seren said with a grin, looking at the spectacles in his hand. “Only with a darker rim and slightly bigger.”

“Not to mention geekier.” Johnny added with a chuckle.

Seren threw a grape at him that he caught in his mouth.

“I modelled them after yours.” The Doctor said with a small smile as he stood up from the table, putting the glasses on. As he looked at the TV, his gentle expression became stern.

_“No.”_   Harriett replied briskly.  _“Now can we talk about other things?”_

_"Is it true you're unfit for office?"_   Another reporter asked.

_“Look, there is nothing wrong with my health! I don't know where these stories are coming from!”_   Harriet exclaimed.  _“And a vote of no confidence is completely unjustified.”_

The phone rang and Jackie went into the kitchen to answer it while the rest stared at the TV, watching the Interview.

_“Are you going to resign?”_  Another reporter asked.

_"On today of all days, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm fine. I look fine, I feel fine."_   Harriet stated, completely confused and frustrated.

“It’s Beth.” Jackie said, holding the phone to her ear as she came out of the kitchen. “She says to go and look outside.”

 “Why?” Rose asked as the Doctor took off his glasses as they all turned to Jackie.

“I dunno, just go outside and look.” Jackie said as she hung up the phone. “Come on, shift!"

They all scrambled to their feet and grabbed their coats, Rhiannon bundling Mica up while David put his own coat on. They went outside, going down to the grounds with several others following as well.

The ground was covered with white flakes with more falling from the sky as they looked up. Against the dark night sky, streaks of light criss-crossed each other. The twins and Adam looked at the white flakes and the streaks with sorrow as the others laughed in delight, marveling at the sight.

Seren stood beside the Doctor beside the TARDIS with Siwan and Adam a few feet away, Rhiannon, Johnny, the kids, Mickey and Rose a little way behind them. David was walking with Mica, holding the little girl’s hand as she toddled around in the white flakes.

“Oh, it’s beautiful.” Rose breathed as she looked at the sky. “What are they? Meteors?”

“No. It’s the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere.” Adam replied, shaking his head and looking at the sky sadly.

He may have once been one of the Four Horsemen and he may still be willing to kill to protect those he loved, especially Siwan, but even he didn’t like senseless death.

“This isn’t snow.” Seren said quietly, looking at the white flakes.

“It’s ash.” The Doctor said as he looked at the sky.

“Okay, not so beautiful.” Rose muttered, putting her hands in her coat pockets.

“This is a brand new planet Earth.”’ The Doctor commented. “No denying the existence of aliens now. Everyone saw it. Everything's new.”

Seren avoided his eyes as he looked at her, unable to shake her guilt at the part she played in his regeneration. She had accepted his regeneration from the very beginning, however she couldn’t shake her guilt at being the reason for it. For being the reason the regeneration had gone wrong and sending him into a coma, how ever short it had been.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be surprised if people found a way to explain it away.” Adam said with a sigh, knowing it was more than likely that people would explain it away.

“What about you?” Seren asked the Doctor quietly, not looking at him. “What are you going to do next?”

“Well… back to the TARDIS.” He replied, gesturing to the blue box. “Same old life.”

“On your own?” She asked, looking up at him with her large doe-eyes. She didn’t know if he would want her to still travel with him after everything she had done, or if he even forgave her for it.

“You decided don’t wanna come with me?” He asked her with a soft frown on his face.

“I do.” Seren replied, looking up at him nervously.

“Do you, though?” He asked, unsure.

“Yes.” Seren replied honestly, looking at him with her gold-rimmed amethyst eyes expressing her sincerity.

“I just thought… ‘cos I change…” He said, looking away before glancing at her shyly.

“I thought that…” Seren started, biting her lip and looking at him hesitantly. “I thought that you wouldn’t want me after everything.” Tears filled her eyes as she remembered everything that had occurred in the past two days. “Your regeneration, your coma. It was my fault and I was afraid you would think I was like the others.”

A few tears escaped her eyes and fell down her cheeks as she looked at him. He reached up and gently cupped her face in his large hands, wiping away the tears that fell with the pads of his thumbs.

“Oh, Seren Rhosyn, don’t you remember?” He asked her in whisper, resting his forehead against hers. “We promised forever. I will always want you to come.”

Seren let out a choked laugh as they pulled back.

“I will always want to come.” Seren said as they laughed, beaming at each other.

“You’re never going to stay are you?” Mickey asked quietly, alerting the pair to the rest of them.

Mickey looked at Seren with worry-filled eyes. He wasn’t upset about her travelling with the Doctor, he was worried about how dangerous it was. And he couldn’t help but wonder if the danger would increase with Seren’s change and the gold shimmer running through the Welshwoman’s veins. He had no illusions that life was any safer on Earth, after all, Siwan had managed to fall in love with an Immortal who lived a violent life of his own that was completely different from the Doctor’s.

“There is just so much out there, Mickey.” Seren said with an eager smile as she moved over to him and looped her arm through his. “So much to see, so much to learn, so much to explore.”

He smiled as Seren’s eyes brightened at the prospect of learning and exploring new things. She always loved learning, always had her nose in a book regardless of the topic.

“Okay.” Mickey said with a sigh, unhooking his arm from hers and cupping her face, gently rubbing their noses together in an Eskimo kiss. He let go of her face and turned to the Doctor, “Just promise me you’ll protect her.”

“Always.” The Doctor said firmly, a gentle expression on his face.

Mickey nodded in acceptance as Seren smiled brightly.

“Well, I reckon you're mad.” Jackie spoke up, her arms crossed over her chest to keep herself warm. “The pair of you. It's like you go looking for trouble.”

Seren and the Doctor looked at each other and laughed. Jackie had no idea just how true that statement was. David ran over to Mickey and raised his arms, silently asking to be picked up. Mickey complied, letting the boy climb onto his back.

“Trouble's just the bits in-between.” The Doctor said, rushing over to Jackie and putting his arm around her. “It's all waiting out there, Jackie, and it's brand new to me.” Seren smiled at him. “All those planets, and creatures and horizons. I haven't seen them yet! Not with these eyes.” The Doctor grinned at Jackie and walked back to Seren. “And it is gonna be… fantastic.”

He smiled brightly at Seren and held his hand out to her. She grinned back and took it, holding tightly.

“Where are we going to go first?” Seren asked, stepping closer to him.

"Um . . . that way." He replied, pointing deliberately at a point in the night sky. "No, hold on . . . that way." He pointed a smidgen to the right of his first point.

“That way?” Seren asked, pointing in the same direction.

“Hmm?” He asked, turning to her.

“Yeah, that way.” Seren said with a smile, nodding. She looked at him as a slight frown crossed her face. "Doctor, why didn't you just tell me that you were regenerating? Back on the TARDIS after we had left the Game Station?"

"Well, honestly I didn't know how much you knew about it, or even if you knew about it at all." He replied, looking at her. "So I went the long route to explain."

"It was more like the  _vague_  route." Seren muttered and the Doctor grinned at her in response.

“Okay, it’s time to go back inside.” Rhiannon announced as David’s teeth began chattering from the cold.

“Yeah, we’ve still got presents to pass around.” Johnny said cheerfully.

“P-p-presents?” David asked, his teeth chattering.

“And hot chocolate.” Siwan added, smiling at the boy.

“And you, young ladies, can explain how the twins were able to feel the aliens dying.” Jackie added, looking at the twins and Rhiannon sternly. “As well as how Mica and David were able to feel it as well, because there is no way their screams were because the twins were in pain. Those two were in pain as well.”

“Uh.” Seren, Siwan and Rhiannon said, staring at the blonde speechlessly.

“Good luck, you three.” The Doctor, Adam and Johnny said in unison, sniggering at the ‘oh crap!’ expressions on their faces.

The twins and Rhiannon groaned but knew they couldn’t put it off any longer. It was time to come clean, not just about the Empathic abilities, but also about the twins being Chosen Ones of the Mara. Adam decided it was time for him to do the same, this family had taken him in and they had only become closer since Seren began travelling with the Doctor - the last thing he wanted was for them to inadvertently find out the way Mickey had.

 


	3. Interlude: Presents, Revelations and a New Companion

** Interlude: Presents, Revelations and a New Companion **

“Make your selves comfortable.” Seren said once they had entered the flat and removed their coats. “This is going to take some time.”

“I’m going to make the hot chocolate. I’ll be back in a bit.” Siwan said, going into the kitchen.

There were nods all around as they took seats around the living room, making themselves comfortable. Adam sat on the floor, the Doctor sat on a single sofa behind the Immortal and pulled Seren down to sit on the arm of his seat as he supported her waist to keep her from falling, Rhiannon and Johnny sat on the love seat with Mica and David on their laps while Mickey and Rose sat on the floor and Jackie sat on the last single sofa.

“Okay. Start talking.” Jackie said sternly, once they had all been seated and Siwan returned with the hot chocolate on a serving tray.

Seren, Siwan and Rhiannon looked at each other, unsure of where to begin.

“Why don’t we do the presents first?” Adam suggested as Siwan handed out the mugs of the steaming hot drink. “That way, if we end up talking for hours, at least the kids can go to sleep while we talk.”

“All right.” Jackie said, slightly reluctant, but seeing the wisdom in Adam’s suggestion. “But as soon as the presents are done,” She added sternly, looking at the Jones sisters. “You ladies are explaining everything. And you two,” She looked at Johnny and Adam, “are going to explain how you seem to know about it before we did.”

The five of them nodded as if they had been scolded like little children. Mickey and Rose sniggered at the expressions, quickly schooling their faces into grim masks when the five turned and glared at them.

“Presents?” David asked, looking at them with an adorable milk moustache on his upper lip.

Mica had hers in a sippy cup, a mixture of hot chocolate and ordinary chocolate milk.

“Yes, baby. Presents.” Jackie said, her stern expression melting into a gentle smile as she looked at her grandson. “You want to get the presents from under the tree?”

“Yes, please!” David said excitedly, carefully handing his cup to his mother before climbing off the sofa. He had gotten half-way across the room before he paused and turned to look at them, cocking his head to the side. “What about Mica? Isn’t she going to help get the presents?”

“Do you want her to help you?” Johnny asked him.

“Yes, I do.” David replied, nodding vigorously.

“Okay.” Rhiannon said, gently putting Mica on the ground.

David reach out and took her hand, slowly helping her to the tree where she promptly stumbled and landed on her diapered bum. Mica looked at them in shock before grinning widely, showing off her three small white teeth.

“Come on Mica.” David said to his sister. “Let’s give everyone their presents.”

Mica babbled happily as she reached out and took a brightly coloured present. David gently took the package before the toddler could put it in her mouth. He handed the package to Adam to read the tag.

“Seren, this one’s yours.” Adam said, reading the tag. “And it’s from the Doctor.”

Adam handed the present back to David who, in turn, handed to to Seren.

“Thank you, _baban.”_ Seren said with a smile, taking the present. She turned to the Time Lord who had his arm around her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” The Doctor replied with a gentle smile.

“You’re supposed to open it, Auntie Seren!” David exclaimed pointedly when Seren just put the package on her lap.

“I was?” Seren asked in surprise.

“Yes!” David replied shaking his head at the absurd question.

The rest burst out laughing as Seren removed the wrapping and opened the small velvet box.

“Wow. It’s beautiful.” She breathed, looking at the beautiful ring inside.

“It’s also a perception filter.” The Doctor explained, looking at her shyly. “It won’t do anything for the gold rim around your eyes but it’ll keep people from noticing your shimmer. Idris had shown it to me after I changed, when I was looking for something that would help you.”

“Thank you.” Seren said sincerely, looking at him.

She took out the smooth delicate gold ring and held it up for the others to see. The smooth, delicate 1mm wide band had eleven 1mm white diamonds set into the top half*.

“Wow.” Siwan breathed, looking at the beautiful ring.

Seren slipped the ring onto her right hand ring finger before leaning over and kissing the Doctor’s cheek in thanks. She didn’t see the slight blush that flooded the Time Lord’s cheeks, having already turned to David, but the rest did and had to hold back their laughs.

“You still look the same though.” Adam said with a frown. “I can still see the shimmer.”

“Me, too.” Rose and Siwan said in unison, both nodding in agreement.

“That’s because you know it’s there, so the filter doesn’t work on you.” The Doctor replied.

They nodded in understanding as David took another present from Mica, this one a long thick package, and handed it to Adam to read the tag.

“Siwan, from me.” Adam read, handing the package to David who handed it to the woman sitting in the Immortal’s lap.

“Thank you.” Siwan said to the two, holding back her laughs.

She removed the wrapping and opened the box and gasped when she saw what was inside.

“Adam, this is beautiful.” She breathed, looking at what was inside.

“What is it?” Rose asked curiously. “What did he get you?”

“A sari.” Siwan replied, holding the beautiful material up slightly so that they could see it. She frowned slightly when she saw that there were two other cases wrapped inside the dress. She took the velvet case out and opened it, her eyes widening once again. “And matching jewelry.” She opened the other one. “And heels.” She looked at Adam with wide eyes. “Adam!”

“Before you start, you never let me get you anything aside from the occasional bouquet so this is this year’s birthday, Christmas and for-the-sake-of-it presents all in one.” Adam told her, knowing that she was about to remind him that she didn’t like the extravagant gifts.

“Okay.” Siwan said, surrendering gracefully.

“Well, go put it on!” Jackie said excitedly.

Siwan sighed in surrender and stood up, picking up the box that her gift had been in.

“Wait,” Seren said, standing as well. “Rhi, Aunt Jackie, Siwan and I have something for Rose that couldn’t be wrapped.”

“What is it?” Rose asked curiously.

“You had been saying how you wanted to get your hair done for a while now.” Rhiannon started, standing up as well. “So, the twins, Aunt Jackie and I decided that if you wanted, we could do your hair as a Christmas present.”

“Yes!” Rose said excitedly, jumping up from her seat.

“Okay, let’s go.” Siwan said. “While I’m changing, Rhi, Aunt Jackie and Seren can start on your hair.”

The five woman grinned at each other and made their way out of the living room, going into Jackie’s room since it was the biggest.

“We’re going to be waiting a while.” Johnny muttered as the woman left giggling with each other.

“Want to see if there’s a match on?” Mickey asked.

“Sure.” Adam replied shrugging before adding with a frown, “Which match?”

Mickey and Johnny rolled their eyes at the Immortal as the Londoner turned the TV on and began flipping through the channels.

“Football’s on.” Mickey commented, stopping on the channel. “Though it’s a replay of a previous one.”

“Sounds good.” The Doctor said as they settled down to wait for the women.

“Yay, football!” David exclaimed, moving so he was sitting next to Adam.

Mica went to the Doctor and he lifted her up, putting the little girl on his lap as they watched the football match.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was an hour later that the five women returned to the living room. Seren, Jackie and Rhiannon came first with wide grins on their faces and retook their previous seats, the Doctor shifting a drowsy Mica in his lap so that he could put his arm around Seren once more.

Of the remaining two, Rose came into the living room first, sporting shoulder length, double layered hair with brighter golden blonde streaks, making the blonde locks shine brightly.

“Wow.” Mickey breathed, seeing her. “Very nice.”

“Thank you.” Rose said with a grin, sitting down next to him. She turned to Adam. “But wait ‘till you see Siwan. You’re gonna be amazed.”

Sure enough, when Siwan entered the living room seconds later, Adam’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the sight of her.

She looked absolutely stunning in the sapphire blue sari, trimmed with a silver embroidered border and silver embroidery spattered along the fabric, the drape pinned to her right shoulder and draping elegantly over her arm and the silver cap-sleeved blouse that came to just below her chest, showing off her toned stomach*. She was wearing the matching sapphire and diamond necklace and earring set* that Adam had given her with the sari, as well as the silver and sapphire bangle set* and the silver 6” high heeled platform sandals*. Her hair was still held back with the Dutch infinity braid headband, though a few tendrils had come loose over the course of the day and were now framing her face.

The outfit, which he had purchased while her hair was dark brown, seemed to compliment her new hair color even better.

“You look beautiful.” Adam breathed as he stood up and walked over to her, as if in a trance.

“Thank you.” Siwan replied with a slight blush filling her cheeks, looking up into his multi-colored eyes. “It is beautiful.”

“You are what makes it so.” Adam said softly, looking into her sapphire blue eyes with complete sincerity.

She smiled shyly at him, her blush becoming more prominent as they stared into each other’s eyes. So lost in one another’s gaze, they were startled by David’s voice.

“Wow, Auntie Siwan, you look really pretty.” The little boy said, looking up at her from where he was still sitting on the floor.

“Thank you, _baban_.” Siwan said, smiling brightly at him as she and Adam sat down once more, Siwan in Adam’s lap once again.

“You want to resume giving out the presents, David?” Rhiannon asked, looking at her son.

“Yeah!” David exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and running to the tree.

He picked up a small wrapped box and looked at the tag.

“M-I-C-K-E-Y.” He read the letters slowly. He looked at Mickey as he handed the box over. “Uncle Mickey, this one’s for you.”

“Thanks David.” Mickey said with a smile, taking the box and reading the tag. “From the Tyler/ Jones.” He looked at them as he said, “Thanks.”

He opened the box and found a key. He held it up with a surprised expression on his face.

“We thought it was time you had a key to the flat.” Jackie explained. “After everything, you deserve it.”

“Thank you.” Mickey said softly, looking at them earnestly.

He stood up and hugged each of them before sitting back down, inconspicuously wiping away a few tears that had slipped from his eyes. If anyone saw the tears, they didn’t mention it, knowing how difficult it had been for him since his grand-mother died and the guilt he carried for the perceived role he believed he played in the accident.

David carried on, picking up packages and handing them to the correct person. Seren got a set of Jane Austen First Edition books from Adam and Siwan, a set of bath bombs from Rhiannon. Siwan received a new sewing kit from Jackie and Rose and a stack of fabrics from Rhiannon and Johnny. Adam received a set of 5 handmade embroidered handkerchiefs from Siwan and a new scabbard from Mickey, Rhiannon and Johnny.

David picked up another box, the second last one.

“D-O-C-T-O-R.” He read and looked up at the surprised Time Lord. “Uncle Doctor, this is for you.”

He passed the gift to Adam who held it up to the Doctor. The Time Lord took it, surprise still clear on his face.

“I get a present?” He asked, looking at the wrapped box in his hand and at the family sitting around the room, looking at him.

“It’s a thank you for healing Seren.” Jackie said softly.

“For putting the light back in her eyes.” Rhiannon added with a gentle smile.

He looked at the two of them like he wanted to hug them but didn’t want to disturb Mica. Jackie and Rhiannon laughed and walked over to him, hugging him tightly before going back to their seats.

“Go on, Doctor.” Seren said softly, putting her arm around his neck to support herself on the arm of the couch so he could use both hands to open the present.

He looked at her before turning to the box and removing the wrapping, opening the box to reveal a beautiful men’s watch with a silver-steel face-plate and a leather strap*.

“It was Uncle Pete’s watch.” Siwan said as the Doctor took the watch out of the box and held it up. The Doctor looked at her in shock and opened his mouth to protest the gift. “We want you to have it for bringing the shine back to Uncle Pete’s Little Star.”

“Thank you.” The Doctor said emotionally as Seren took the watch and strapped it on his left wrist.

“And you can add the features that your previous incarnation had, without damaging the watch.” Seren added.

David tried to pick up the last one but it was too big, so he resorted to dragging it from beneath the tree. He looked at the tag.

“J-A-C-K-I-E. Grandmam Jackie, this one is for you.” He proceeded to drag the large parcel over to the blonde.

“Thank you David.” Jackie said to him, kissing his head as he theatrically fell backwards onto the floor, panting for breath.

They laughed at the boy’s dramatics, being careful not to wake Mica. Jackie removed the wrapping and opened the box, gasping in shock, her hand flying to her mouth as she stared wide eyed at the present that was revealed.

The twins, Rose and Rhiannon beamed at each other as Jackie slowly lifted the present out of the box.

It was a large mahogany wood portrait frame with the only photo they had of the full Tyler/ Jones family, taken the summer before Pete died. The portrait had the family smiling brightly at the camera, Pete and Jackie with their arms around one another standing next to Glenda and Ifan who also had their arms around one another. In front of them were the twins on either side of Rhiannon, who had baby Rose in her arms.

“I remember this day.” Jackie said softly, a few tears falling down her cheeks as she ran her fingers over Pete’s smiling face. “It took 15 tries before we were able to finally snap the picture. If it wasn’t you kids getting antsy for one reason or another, it was the sun or the clouds interfering with the shot.”

“Yeah, the cameraman was ready to call it quits.” Rhiannon said with a laugh, the only one that truly remembered the day, having been 12 years old at the time.

“What changed his mind?” Rose asked curiously as they all looked between Rhiannon and Jackie.

“It was the twins.” Jackie said with watery laugh.

“What did _we_ do?” Seren asked as David got up from the floor and wrapped his arms around Jackie’s waist comfortingly.

“You looked up at him with your large jewel eyes and said ‘Sorry’.” Jackie replied, looking at the two identical sisters. “He melted the moment you looked at him, and your apology just encouraged him to stay for as long as it took to get the portrait done properly.”

“That I can believe.” Adam said laughing.

“Yeah, you two can take over the world with a single look.” Mickey said with a laugh.

The twins rolled their eyes, not believing him for a moment.

“I think someone is ready to go to sleep.” Jackie commented, looking at David who let out his fifth yawn in just as many minutes.

“David not sleepy.” David said, valiantly trying to fight his drooping eyelids.

“Come on David.” Seren said, standing up from her perch on the arm of the Doctor’s seat. “I’ll take you to my room. You want to sleep in Auntie Seren’s room?”

“Will you sleep there?” David asked, looking at her with wide eyes swimming with slight fear. “You and Uncle Doctor?”

Seren and the Doctor exchanged looks of confusion and concern.

“What do you mean, _baban_?” Seren asked, turning back to the little boy as the Doctor stood up with Mica in his arms and moved to join Seren in front of David.

“David sleep with Auntie Seren and Uncle Doctor.” David said, yawning again before looking back at them with fear-filled eyes. “What if something happens again? What if the bad people come again?”

“Oh _Cariad_.” Seren sighed softly. “Of course you can sleep with us.” She picked the little boy up and straightened her posture, standing up straight. “You want us to sleep in Auntie Seren’s room?”

“Yes, please.” David replied, the slight tension bleeding out of his shoulders once he had been reassured that they weren’t going anywhere. “And Mica too.”

“And Mica too.” Rhiannon agreed when the Doctor and Seren looked at her for a response. The eldest Jones sister lowered her voice slightly as she added to the two adults, “I’ll give you Mica’s bottle so that she can stay with you during the night.”

The Doctor and Seren nodded and proceeded to take the two children to Seren’s room to put them to bed. Rhiannon, Johnny, Mickey, Rose, Jackie and Adam watched them go, all but Mickey struck by the way the pair seemed to look like a family - the Doctor and Seren were bantering lightly with one another as David fell asleep in her arms.

While Seren and the Doctor were putting the kids to sleep, the rest of them cleared up the mess that had been made during the gift-giving, finishing just as the pair returned a short while later.

The two were lost in their own world, still bantering with one another and laughing lightly. Without breaking their stride or their conversation, they went to the sofa they had occupied earlier, retaking their previous positions, the Doctor on the seat with Seren on the arm as he supported her with his arm around her waist.

“Okay, now that presents are done and the kids are asleep, you ladies can start explaining.” Jackie said, becoming stern once more and breaking the Doctor and Seren out of their conversation and drawing their attention.

“Remember when we were little and Siwan and I used to play in the woods that grew by the Estate in Cardiff?” Seren began after a moment of hesitation, looking at Jackie in particular.

“Yeah.” Jackie replied, nodding slowly. “I always worried because those woods always gave me a creepy feeling. But your parents constantly reassured me that you were safe.”

“That’s because we were.” Siwan said. “The reason you always felt uncomfortable was because you were at the border of the Lost Lands and you hadn’t been invited by the Mara to be there.”

“Aunt Jackie, the twins are the Chosen Ones of the Mara.” Rhiannon said, deciding to just drop the bomb.

“Huh?” Jackie, Mickey and Rose cocked their heads to the side in complete confusion, though they noticed that Adam, Johnny and the Doctor weren’t at all surprised or confused by the revelation.

“Every generation, one child is Chosen by the Mara.” Seren began explaining. “This child is protected by them and avenged should any harm befall him or her. When the time comes, just before reaching puberty, the Mara give the child a Choice: stay in the human world or return to the Lost Lands. If the child chooses to go to the Lost Lands, then the child would eventually become a fairy. This is how the Mara continue their race.”

“On the other hand, if the child chooses to stay in the human world, the child will still be protected, though not to the same extent.” Siwan continued. “The child will grow normally and, at the moment of their death, be given another Choice. This one is whether they would return to the world of the living as an immortal or if they would let themselves die.”

“Once the Choice is made, it cannot be undone.” Seren said, shifting off the sofa arm so that she was sitting on the Doctor’s lap and he wrapped his arms around her comfortingly.

“You weren’t resuscitated, were you Seren?” Jackie asked, looking at the younger woman with tears in her eyes. “By the paramedics following the bomb blast. Everyone said that you had been resuscitated, that it was a miracle considering your injuries and how long it had been before the paramedics arrived. But you weren’t, were you? You had made your Choice.”

“I couldn’t leave Siwan, Rhi, you.” Seren said quietly, tears falling down her cheeks. “I couldn’t leave you guys if I had the chance to stay.”

“But that means you’re going to have to watch us grow old and die eventually!” Rose exclaimed in shock.

Seren nodded in confirmation.

“Hold on, you said only _one_ child is Chosen.” Mickey said with a frown, tears in his eyes at the revelation while Jackie and Rose stared tearfully at the three Jones sisters. “So how can _both_  of you be Chosen Ones?”

“We don’t know.” Rhiannon said, leaning into Johnny’s embrace. “It has never happened twice in a generation, though it can occur in one family.”

“What does this have to do with feeling the aliens die?” Jackie asked, more concerned about the empathic backlash at the moment than she was about her god-daughters being Chosen Ones.

“Jackie, the twins are what we call Empaths.” The Doctor said gently, taking over the explanation. “They are the most compassionate and caring people in the entire universe, as well as being the loneliest at times. They have psychic abilities that allow them to sense and feel the emotions of others. For the most part, the abilities are intermittent at best, at least in Mica and David. However, when emotions are extremely high or if a large number of people are feeling similar emotions, then they would feel the emotions.”

“Like what happened today when the ship was destroyed.” Rose said.

“Exactly.” Rhiannon said nodding, taking over. “It’s because of them being among the loneliest that David is so instinctively protective of Mica, despite their age difference. Most children at his age typically don’t want to play with their younger siblings, not when they could play with their own friends and they don’t have to be gentle or careful with everything they do. With David, his empathic ability, though mild, instinctively drive him to protect Mica from any possible perceived harm, real or not. For him, it doesn’t matter that he isn’t playing with other children his age, or his friends from the Estate. As long as Mica is happy and safe, he is happy. As Mica gets older, she will be the same towards him and any possible sibling or cousins she may have.”

“This instinctive reaction will last a few years before becoming much less noticeable.” Johnny continued. “As Mica gets older and is able to look after herself, David will slowly gravitate towards his friends and being a typical kid at whatever age he may be. However, he will always be protective of Mica. If he sees any possibility of her being harmed, he will immediately protect her. Just as she will do the same for him and any siblings or cousins she may have.”

“With Seren and I, our ability is much stronger.” Siwan said, sighing deeply and leaning back against Adam. “Even before we made out first Choice, to stay in the human world, our abilities were incredibly strong, though they were latent.”

“That’s why the two of you ran out of the church when Pete died.” Jackie breathed with wide eyes.

Even after Seren had explained that it had been herself and Rose that had stayed with Pete as he died and brought the twins back to the church, none of them could figure out how the twins knew that Pete died in the first place.

“Yes, Aunt Jackie.” Siwan said softly, nodding. “We have a connection with all of you. It can’t be described and so long as you exist in this Universe, it will always exist. The moment Uncle Pete died, we felt the connection with him break.”

“It felt as though our hearts had stopped beating.” Seren said softly, playing with the Doctor’s hands as everyone turned their attention to her. “As though we had this huge hole suddenly in our chests instead of our hearts.”

“That moment, we knew that he was gone. The light that connected us to him, the grey-purple light, snapped and we knew he was gone.” Siwan said, just as quietly.

“The night terrors.” Rose whispered, her eyes wide as tears streamed down her face. She looked at Seren with guilt written across her face. “You told me that Dad’s death was one of the reason’s you had night terrors. It wasn’t just seeing him die, was it? It was from the bond breaking.”

The twins nodded in response as a fresh wave of tears streamed down Rose’s cheeks. Mickey pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close as she sobbed.

Slowly, Rose calmed down, staying in Mickey’s arms and letting out the occasional hiccup and sniffle.

“I take it Rhi and Siwan told Johnny and Adam about this?” Jackie asked, looking at the two in question. When they nodded in response Jackie sighed and looked at them curiously, a slightly hurt expression on her face. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

The twins exchanged looks and turned to her, tears in their eyes.

“We were afraid.” Seren whispered. “We didn’t know how to tell you. And Mam and Tad always said that no matter what, we were never to tell _anyone_.”

“After Mam and Tad died, everyone was already walking on eggshells around us.” Siwan said with the same whisper. “We wanted to tell you, but we didn’t want you to think we were freaks. We couldn't lose you too.”

The tears that had filled their jewel eyes streamed down their cheeks. Unable to look at Rose, Jackie and Mickey, the two women buried their faces in the Doctor and Adam’s chests as the men rubbed their backs soothingly.

There was pin drop silence following the revelation as Jackie, Rose and Mickey stared at the sobbing women. The words played through their minds, the revelation that the twins had been afraid of being seen as freaks and loosing them so soon after losing their parents.

Jackie stood up and walked over to Seren and Siwan, taking their arms and pulling them up from where they were sitting. They faced the blonde but didn’t look at her, keeping their gaze averted.

“Look at me.” Jackie said firmly. “Seren, Siwan look at me.” She repeated more firmly when the twins didn’t comply. The two reluctantly looked up at the taller woman. “I have loved the three of you from before you were born. I have loved you since Glenda told me she was pregnant. What makes you think that I would see you as freaks?”

“Mum’s right.” Rose said firmly, wiping away her tears as she and Mickey stood up and moved to stand on either side of the older woman. “You’re my god-sisters, my best friends.”

“Seren, being a Chosen One is the reason you’re here right now.” Mickey said softly. “I know it’ll hurt watching us grow old and eventually die, I _know_ that. You two are my best friends. You will never be freaks to me.”

“To any of us.” Jackie said strongly as she wrapped her arms around the twins, drawing them into a tight hug.

Mickey and Rose joined in the hug with Adam, the Doctor, Rhiannon and Johnny following suit seconds later. Soon enough, breathing became an issue for the jewel-eyed Chosen Ones and they all separated, moving back to retake their seats.

“Since we’re spilling things we’ve kept secret for one reason or another, I have a secret of my own.” Adam said, looking around nervously once everyone was seated again.

“What is it, Adam?” Jackie asked gently, seeing the same uncertain look on his face that the twins and Rhiannon had sported only a short while earlier.

“I’m an Immortal.” He blurted out after taking a deep breath.

Blurting it out worked for Rhiannon and the twins, so he decided to follow suit and hope for the same acceptance. However, he knew that it was possible that they could have a hard time accepting it, that it could be the final straw that tested the limit on how much strangeness they were able to handle.

“Huh?” Rose and Jackie gaped at him in shock, absently noticing the lack of reaction from Johnny, Rhiannon, Mickey, Seren and the Doctor. They weren’t too surprised that Siwan knew, for one thing, they were dating, and another was Siwan's tendency to know just about everything.

“Not in the way Seren is, or even the Doctor is. I can die, but I can’t stay dead unless I am beheaded.” Adam explained.

He proceeded to tell them everything about his past, everything he had told Siwan back in March. He told them about the Game, the Watchers, and the other Immortals. He told them how old he was, who he had been, the lives he had led, the people he had loved and lost, everything.

By the time he had finished, the room was completely silent. Of them all, only Siwan had known all of it, Mickey, Rhiannon and Johnny only knew that he was Immortal, about the Game and the other Immortals. The Doctor knew about Immortals and the Game, but only suspected that Adam was one.

“Oh, you poor dear.” Jackie breathed, standing up and pulling him up in to a tight hug.

The sudden shift sent Siwan tumbling to the floor with a slight scream as she had been sitting on his lap. The action broke the silent tension that had filled the room and they burst out laughing as Siwan pulled herself up to stand.

“You will always be a part of this family, Adam.” Jackie said firmly, looking at the Immortal. The blonde turned to the Doctor and added, “Both of you.”

The Doctor smiled widely, a true and happy expression as he and Seren stood up and pulled the blonde into a hug.

“Um, Doctor?” Rose asked hesitantly, biting her lip nervously as the Time Lord broke away from Jackie and looked at her.

“Yeah?”

“Can I travel with you?” She asked, looking up at him.

Jackie and Mickey stared at her in surprise and turned to the Doctor, each silently hoping that the man would say ‘No’. The Doctor looked at Rose for a moment before looking down at Seren who was beside him. Seren nodded slightly with a small smile on her face.

“Absolutely!” The Doctor said with a grin.

“The more the merrier.” Seren said with a smile.

Jackie and Mickey sighed sadly, knowing they had no choice but to accept the decision.

“Just be careful, yeah?” Jackie pleaded with Rose and Seren.

“We will, Aunt Jackie.” Seren promised.

Before anyone else could say anything, a cry from Seren’s room drew their attention.

“I guess it’s time for us to play Mam and Tad.” Seren told the Doctor cheerfully.

“Shall we?” He asked her with a laugh, holding his arm out to her.

She took the offered arm with a smile and the two left the living room, heading towards Seren’s room where Mica’s cries were coming from.

_ Links: _

_*Seren’s ring -<https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/65654107050848128/>_

_*Siwan’s saree –<https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879479198000/> _

_*Siwan’s jewellery –<https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879479198076/>_

_*Siwan’s bangles –<https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879479198114/> _

_*Siwan’s heels -<https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879478429952/> _

_*The Doctor’s watch -<https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/765823111608671058/> _


End file.
